Which Drivers of User Engagement Support the Cost-Effectiveness of Online Self-Help Programs? Amazon Turkers Tell Web Managers What Matters.

Copyright © 2017, Muma College of Business. This article is published under a Creative Commons BY-NC license. Permission is granted to copy and distribute this article for non-commercial purposes, in both printed and electronic formats Access of care, purported cost savings and convenience for both clients and healthcare professionals are but some of the reasons why there is a lot of interest in the development of effective, evidence-based telemental health services. Even more than in “classical” face-to-face therapy, online mental health programs (“telemental health” and/or online self-help programs) must focus on client retention. The online self-help mental health programs have huge efficiency and scalability potentials, but to be effective, clients will have to actively participate in these programs. To address the client retention issue, this study aims to replicate previous research in user commitment to User Generated Content (UGC) websites, and create a framework for enhancing user engagement in online mental health self-help websites. Open Forest is a provider of online mental health self-help programs and, in this context, it is crucial to understand the needs of potential users. With a high prevalence of ADHD, user needs to establish commitment and loyalty centered on the ability to engage with others online.