@Article{info:doi/10.2196/68221,
author="Nagra, Harpreet
and Mines, Robert A
and Dana, Zara",
title="Exploring the Impact of Digital Peer Support Services on Meeting Unmet Needs Within an Employee Assistance Program: Retrospective Cohort Study",
journal="JMIR Hum Factors",
year="2025",
month="Feb",
day="25",
volume="12",
pages="e68221",
keywords="digital peer support; peer support; EAPs; cost-effectiveness; SROI",
abstract="Background: The World Health Organization estimates that 1 in 4 people worldwide will experience a mental disorder in their lifetime, highlighting the need for accessible support. Objective: This study evaluates the integration of digital peer support (DPS) into an employee assistance program (EAP), testing 3 hypotheses: (1) DPS may be associated with changes in EAP counseling utilization within a 5-session model; (2) DPS users experience reduced sadness, loneliness, and stress; and (3) DPS integration generates a positive social return on investment (SROI). Methods: The study analyzed EAP utilization within a 5-session model using pre-post analysis, sentiment changes during DPS chats via natural language processing models, and SROI outcomes. Results: Among 587 DPS chats, 432 (73.6{\%}) occurred after business hours, emphasizing the importance of 24/7 availability. A matched cohort analysis (n=72) showed that DPS reduced therapy sessions by 2.07 per participant (P<.001; Cohen d=1.77). Users' messages were evaluated for sentiments of sadness, loneliness, and stress on a 1-10 scale. Significant reductions were observed: loneliness decreased by 55.04{\%} (6.91 to 3.11), sadness by 57.5{\%} (6.84 to 2.91), and stress by 56.57{\%} (6.78 to 2.95). SROI analysis demonstrated value-to-investment ratios of US {\$}1.66 (loneliness), US {\$}2.50 (stress), and US {\$}2.58 (sadness) per dollar invested. Conclusions: Integrating DPS into EAPs provides significant benefits, including increased access, improved emotional outcomes, and a high SROI, reinforcing its value within emotional health support ecosystems. ",
issn="2292-9495",
doi="10.2196/68221",
url="https://humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e68221",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/68221",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/39998863"
}