The effectiveness of a self-care smartphone app intervention in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety

The effectiveness of a self-care smartphone application in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in a university student population: a randomized controlled trial

Status

Active, not recruiting

Phases

Unknown

Study type

Interventional

Source

ISRCTN

Registry ID

ISRCTN14953304

Enrollment

230

Registered

2021-04-01

Start date

2021-04-12

Completion date

Unknown

Last updated

2023-11-28

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Depression and anxiety Mental and Behavioural Disorders Depressive episode, unspecified, Anxiety disorder, unspecified

Interventions

The researchers will use a block randomisation method in which they will randomise blocks of 30 participants at a time to ensure equal numbers of participants in each group across the trial. Participa

Eligibility

Sex/Gender

All

Inclusion criteria

Inclusion criteria: Current participant inclusion criteria as of 25/05/2021: 1. Aged 18 years or older 2. Current UK university student, including undergraduates and postgraduates 3. Has access to a smartphone with iOS or Android operating system 4. Self-reporting symptoms of depression and/or anxiety Previous participant inclusion criteria: 1. Aged 18 years or older 2. Current student at University College London (UCL), including undergraduates and postgraduates 3. Has access to a smartphone with iOS or Android operating system 4. Self-reporting symptoms of depression and/or anxiety

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion criteria: 1. Current psychiatric diagnosis 2. Current use of psychiatric medication 3. Any past or current major medical condition 4. Any previous negative experiences with psychological therapy

Design outcomes

Primary

Measure	Time frame
Measured via self-report questionnaires administered online: 1. Depression symptoms measured using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 2. Anxiety symptoms measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) scale at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks	—

Secondary

Measure	Time frame
Current secondary outcome measures as of 25/05/2021: 1. General mood measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 2. Self-compassion measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 3. Mindfulness measured by the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 4 Social connectedness measured by the Social Connectedness Scale at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 5. General well-being measured by the CORE Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) questionnaire at baseline and week 8 6. Quality of life measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12) at baseline and week 8 7. Life satisfaction measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale at baseline and week 8 8. Application usage measured by My Online Therapy's routinely collected frequency and duration of use data throughout the 8-week trial period Previous secondary outcome measures: 1. General mood measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 2. Self-compassion measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 3. Mindfulness measured by the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 4 Social connectedness measured by the Social Connectedness Scale at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 5. General well-being measured by the CORE Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) questionnaire at baseline and week 8 6. Quality of life measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12) at baseline and week 8 7. Application usage measured by My Online Therapy's routinely collected frequency and duration of use data throughout the 8-week trial period	—

Measure

Time frame

Current secondary outcome measures as of 25/05/2021: 1. General mood measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 2. Self-compassion measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 3. Mindfulness measured by the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 4 Social connectedness measured by the Social Connectedness Scale at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 5. General well-being measured by the CORE Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) questionnaire at baseline and week 8 6. Quality of life measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12) at baseline and week 8 7. Life satisfaction measured by the Satisfaction with Life Scale at baseline and week 8 8. Application usage measured by My Online Therapy's routinely collected frequency and duration of use data throughout the 8-week trial period Previous secondary outcome measures: 1. General mood measured by the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 2. Self-compassion measured by the Self-Compassion Scale (SCS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 3. Mindfulness measured by the Mindfulness Attention Awareness Scale (MAAS) at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 4 Social connectedness measured by the Social Connectedness Scale at baseline and then weekly for 8 weeks 5. General well-being measured by the CORE Outcome Measure (CORE-OM) questionnaire at baseline and week 8 6. Quality of life measured by the 12-item Short-Form Health Survey (SF12) at baseline and week 8 7. Application usage measured by My Online Therapy's routinely collected frequency and duration of use data throughout the 8-week trial period

—

Countries

England, United Kingdom

Contacts

Public ContactOlivia McGowan

olivia.mcgowan.20@ucl.ac.uk+44 (0)207 679 7798

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ISRCTN (via WHO ICTRP) · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026