None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Approximately 68% of adults worldwide own mobile phones, with an estimated 1.08 billion of these being smartphones. Studies have shown that more people own a smartphone than a computer. Mobile health allows for the provision of evidence-based therapeutic techniques to a greater proportion of the population. Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders and the current study aims to evaluate the efficacy of a smartphone application ("app") designed to reduce worry by giving users greater control over it. Participants will be randomly assigned to use one of two apps. Measures of worry, depression, anxiety, negative metacognitive beliefs and repetitive negative thinking will be taken pre-, post- and follow-up intervals, with weekly measures of anxiety and negative metacognitive beliefs during the intervention.
Interventions
The intervention will involve the use of a newly designed smartphone application ("app") available for download on the Apple and Google Play stores. The experimental app assists users in the process of worry postponement, which allows them to record their worries and postpone them to a time of their choosing, giving them greater control over their worries and anxiety. Participants will be encouraged to use the app at least once daily across a 4-week intervention period, but they are free to use
The intervention will involve the use of a newly designed smartphone application ("app") available for download on the Apple and Google Play stores. The experimental app assists users in the process of worry postponement, which allows them to record their worries and postpone them to a time of their choosing, giving them greater control over their worries and anxiety. Participants will be encouraged to use the app at least once daily across a 4-week intervention period, but they are free to use the apps as frequently or infrequently as they wish. Participants will continue to have access to the app during the follow-up period (1- and 3-months after the active intervention period). Page views will be monitored by the app software.
Sponsors
Curtin University
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Parallel
Primary purpose
Treatment
Masking
Blinded (masking used) (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria includes: 1) Participants who score 45 or above on the Penn-State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ), 2) Access to smartphone with access to the iOS or Google Play stores.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria includes 1) Participants who endorse moderate to high suicide risk on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI), 2) Participants currently engaged in concurrent psychological treatment for depression or anxiety, 3) Participants who expect any changes to their medication dosage and routine in the following month, 4) Participants without access to a smartphone with access to the iOS or Google Play stores.
Outcome results
None listed