Impact of a mobile phone and web program on symptom and functional outcomes for people with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and stress: a randomised controlled trial

BMC Psychiatry

Research Article

Janine Clarke¹  Alexis E Whitton¹  Virginia Harrison¹  Helen Christensen¹  Mary-Rose Birch¹  Vijaya Manicavasagar²  Judith Proudfoot²  Dusan Hadzi-Pavlovic²  Gordon Parker³ 

[1] Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, 2031, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia;

关键词: eHealth;    Public health;    Depression;    Anxiety;    Psychological stress;    Mobile health;    Intervention studies;    Work functioning;   

DOI  :  10.1186/1471-244X-13-312

 received in 2013-07-18, accepted in 2013-11-14,  发布年份 2013

来源: Springer

【 摘 要 】

BackgroundMobile phone-based psychological interventions enable real time self-monitoring and self-management, and large-scale dissemination. However, few studies have focussed on mild-to-moderate symptoms where public health need is greatest, and none have targeted work and social functioning. This study reports outcomes of a CONSORT-compliant randomised controlled trial (RCT) to evaluate the efficacy of myCompass, a self-guided psychological treatment delivered via mobile phone and computer, designed to reduce mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and stress, and improve work and social functioning.MethodCommunity-based volunteers with mild-to-moderate depression, anxiety and/or stress (N = 720) were randomly assigned to the myCompass program, an attention control intervention, or to a waitlist condition for seven weeks. The interventions were fully automated, without any human input or guidance. Participants’ symptoms and functioning were assessed at baseline, post-intervention and 3-month follow-up, using the Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale and the Work and Social Adjustment Scale.ResultsRetention rates at post-intervention and follow-up for the study sample were 72.1% (n = 449) and 48.6% (n = 350) respectively. The myCompass group showed significantly greater improvement in symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress and in work and social functioning relative to both control conditions at the end of the 7-week intervention phase (between-group effect sizes ranged from d = .22 to d = .55 based on the observed means). Symptom scores remained at near normal levels at 3-month follow-up. Participants in the attention control condition showed gradual symptom improvement during the post-intervention phase and their scores did not differ from the myCompass group at 3-month follow-up.ConclusionsThe myCompass program is an effective public health program, facilitating rapid improvements in symptoms and in work and social functioning for individuals with mild-to-moderate mental health problems.Trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN 12610000625077

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© Proudfoot et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd. 2013