How do users of a mental health app conceptualise digital therapeutic alliance? A qualitative study using the framework approach

This study provides valuable insight into the existence of digital therapeutic relationships (alliance) and its dimensions. From our findings, there are indicators that digital therapeutic alliance is a digital analogue of therapeutic alliance and is enhanced by persuasive features of the app. Findings from this study could be used to inform the design of mental health apps to enhance their capacity to foster digital therapeutic alliance with users, with the supposition that as with the traditional therapeutic alliance, its digital counterpart is also conducive to better efficacy in mental health apps.