Expert Evaluation
Program Quality
3.3 out of 5
Privacy Explanation
Questionable Transparency
Pros
Engaging and empowering
Cons
Inconvenient split between different digital platforms.
Summary
Awaken with JP offers a new and innovative approach as a digital intervention that makes good use of the social media platform to create a sense of online community and to encourage people to interact with each other in a beneficial way. The social community platform delivered via Facebook facilitates the development of reciprocal relationships between community members who, without the shield of anonymity, share their completed tasks, and view and comment on other members’ shared tasks. This seems to be highly engaging and empowering. The program’s current target audience is people who are familiar with JP through his previous (mostly comic) online activities and who seek support for achieving personal growth. Therefore, it is recommended that new users who are not acquainted with JP’s personal style and humor familiarize themselves with some of his videos in order to see if it is a good fit. The combination of lessons with community-based assignments motivates users to participate in a way that resembles group therapy more than online chat groups or most Facebook groups. On the downside, the split between two different digital platforms is somewhat inconvenient.
Notes for Clinicians
Awaken with JP could be recommended as part of ongoing treatment for patients who are seeking personal development and who would value the unconventional spirit of the program. Assignments could be discussed during therapy sessions to create continuity between the program and therapy.
Evaluation date:
Tuesday, October 24, 2017