A qualitative study exploring adolescents’ perspectives of resilience trainings for chronic medical conditions

Abstract

Background Adolescents with a chronic medical condition (CMC) are often affected by mental health disorders coexisting with their physical conditions. Resilience-strengthening interventions can be beneficial for the adolescents’ mental health. However, evidence-based programs among this target group remain scarce. Here, we evaluated the wishes and needs of adolescents with CMC for resilience trainings to improve adherence. Methods This qualitative study analyzed the experience of 46 adolescents aged 12–16 years receiving resilience training at a German University Hospital. They were randomly assigned to a combined app and cognitive-behavioral coaching intervention (CBT) or stand-alone resilience app game (REThink). Postintervention semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted and analyzed by the standards of qualitative content analysis. Results Both the REThink game app and coaching were considered helpful by the participants. Adolescents’ preferable resilience strengthening methods were coping skills training, mental health education, building of self-esteem and mindfulness exercises. Adolescents emphasized the importance of age-adapted difficulty levels, graphical design and native language content. Appointment scheduling was identified as a major barrier leading to a preference for online coachings. Conclusions This study highlighted key preferences of adolescents with CMC for resilience trainings. Adolescents acknowledged the value of both the app game and coaching format. Insights on coaching and app design preferences emphasize the importance of age-adapted and customizable interventions. The identified resilience training criteria provide a solid foundation for the development of forthcoming interventions. Trial registration number: DRKS00027870, registered 24.01.2022.