Preventing depression using a smartphone app: a randomized controlled trial.

Deady, M; Glozier, N; Calvo, R; Johnston, D; Mackinnon, A; Milne, D; Choi, I; Gayed, A; Peters, D; Bryant, R; Christensen, H; Harvey, SB

Preventing depression using a smartphone app: a randomized controlled trial.

Deady, M Glozier, N Calvo, R Johnston, D Mackinnon, A Milne, D

Choi, I Gayed, A Peters, D Bryant, R Christensen, H Harvey, SB

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Publisher:: Cambridge University Press
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Psychological Medicine, 2022, 52, (3), pp. 457-466
Issue Date:: 2022

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Deady, M
dc.contributor.author	Glozier, N
dc.contributor.author	Calvo, R
dc.contributor.author	Johnston, D
dc.contributor.author	Mackinnon, A
dc.contributor.author	Milne, D https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0596-7814
dc.contributor.author	Choi, I
dc.contributor.author	Gayed, A
dc.contributor.author	Peters, D
dc.contributor.author	Bryant, R
dc.contributor.author	Christensen, H
dc.contributor.author	Harvey, SB
dc.date.accessioned	2023-04-05T00:56:09Z
dc.date.available	2023-04-05T00:56:09Z
dc.date.issued	2022
dc.identifier.citation	Psychological Medicine, 2022, 52, (3), pp. 457-466
dc.identifier.issn	0033-2917
dc.identifier.issn	1469-8978
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/169123
dc.description.abstract	BACKGROUND:There is evidence that depression can be prevented; however, traditional approaches face significant scalability issues. Digital technologies provide a potential solution, although this has not been adequately tested. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new smartphone app designed to reduce depression symptoms and subsequent incident depression amongst a large group of Australian workers. METHODS:A randomized controlled trial was conducted with follow-up assessments at 5 weeks and 3 and 12 months post-baseline. Participants were employed Australians reporting no clinically significant depression. The intervention group (N = 1128) was allocated to use HeadGear, a smartphone app which included a 30-day behavioural activation and mindfulness intervention. The attention-control group (N = 1143) used an app which included a 30-day mood monitoring component. The primary outcome was the level of depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9) at 3-month follow-up. Analyses were conducted within an intention-to-treat framework using mixed modelling. RESULTS:Those assigned to the HeadGear arm had fewer depressive symptoms over the course of the trial compared to those assigned to the control (F3,734.7 = 2.98, p = 0.031). Prevalence of depression over the 12-month period was 8.0% and 3.5% for controls and HeadGear recipients, respectively, with odds of depression caseness amongst the intervention group of 0.43 (p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.26-0.70). CONCLUSIONS:This trial demonstrates that a smartphone app can reduce depression symptoms and potentially prevent incident depression caseness and such interventions may have a role in improving working population mental health. Some caution in interpretation is needed regarding the clinical significance due to small effect size and trial attrition.Trial Registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (www.anzctr.org.au/) ACTRN12617000548336.
dc.format	Print-Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	Cambridge University Press
dc.relation.ispartof	Psychological Medicine
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1017/s0033291720002081
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/closedAccess
dc.subject	1109 Neurosciences, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 1701 Psychology
dc.subject.classification	Psychiatry
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Depression
dc.subject.mesh	Follow-Up Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Treatment Outcome
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Treatment Outcome
dc.subject.mesh	Follow-Up Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Depression
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Australia
dc.subject.mesh	Depression
dc.subject.mesh	Follow-Up Studies
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Mobile Applications
dc.subject.mesh	Smartphone
dc.subject.mesh	Treatment Outcome
dc.title	Preventing depression using a smartphone app: a randomized controlled trial.
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	52
utslib.location.activity	England
utslib.for	1109 Neurosciences
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services
utslib.for	1701 Psychology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology/School of Computer Science
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access	*
pubs.consider-herdc	false
dc.date.updated	2023-04-05T00:56:08Z
pubs.issue	3
pubs.publication-status	Published
pubs.volume	52
utslib.citation.issue	3

Abstract:

BACKGROUND:There is evidence that depression can be prevented; however, traditional approaches face significant scalability issues. Digital technologies provide a potential solution, although this has not been adequately tested. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a new smartphone app designed to reduce depression symptoms and subsequent incident depression amongst a large group of Australian workers. METHODS:A randomized controlled trial was conducted with follow-up assessments at 5 weeks and 3 and 12 months post-baseline. Participants were employed Australians reporting no clinically significant depression. The intervention group (N = 1128) was allocated to use HeadGear, a smartphone app which included a 30-day behavioural activation and mindfulness intervention. The attention-control group (N = 1143) used an app which included a 30-day mood monitoring component. The primary outcome was the level of depressive symptomatology (PHQ-9) at 3-month follow-up. Analyses were conducted within an intention-to-treat framework using mixed modelling. RESULTS:Those assigned to the HeadGear arm had fewer depressive symptoms over the course of the trial compared to those assigned to the control (F3,734.7 = 2.98, p = 0.031). Prevalence of depression over the 12-month period was 8.0% and 3.5% for controls and HeadGear recipients, respectively, with odds of depression caseness amongst the intervention group of 0.43 (p = 0.001, 95% CI 0.26-0.70). CONCLUSIONS:This trial demonstrates that a smartphone app can reduce depression symptoms and potentially prevent incident depression caseness and such interventions may have a role in improving working population mental health. Some caution in interpretation is needed regarding the clinical significance due to small effect size and trial attrition.Trial Registration Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry (www.anzctr.org.au/) ACTRN12617000548336.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/169123