Despite growing interest in the use of digital technology by individuals with schizophrenia, little is actually known about how people relate to, own, and use technology in their daily life and in support of their own recovery journey.

To better understand the role of technology and to help inform our advocacy efforts as well as the larger research focus on adults with schizophrenia, NAMI commissioned Harris Poll (f/k/a Harris Interactive) to conduct  research designed to explore the role technology plays in their lives.

Through this effort, NAMI’s research focus aimed to gain understanding of if, and how, personal technology is helping those living with schizophrenia cope with feelings of isolation and to aid in their own recovery process.
 
Harris Poll conducted 457 interviews via online survey of individuals 18+ years of age, living in the U.S. from August 25–September 8, 2014.
 
View the presentation of the detailed survey research findings or read the manuscript paper, "Digital Technology Use Among Individuals with Schizophrenia: Results from a NAMI Survey," as published at JMIR Mental Health publications.


The authors (Katrina Gay1, John Torous2,3, Adam Joseph4,  Anand Pandya5, Ken Duckworth6,7) acknowledge and thank the Drake family trust, which supported this study, and Harris Poll for their help in conducting the survey and assisting in the data analysis. NAMI is grateful to former NAMI board president Keris Myrick who played an important role in helping to conceptualize the project, helped to design the survey and to offer her  lived experience of a person who uses technology in her recovery.

[1]National Director of Communications & Public Affairs, NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness.
2Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
3Brigham and Women's Hospital, Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School
4Fulbright-Nehru Scholar, 2015-2016.
5Department of Psychiatry, Keck School of Medicine at the University of Southern California,
6Medical Director, NAMI, National Alliance on Mental Illness
7Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School.