Digital Cognitive Behavioral Therapy App Aids Anxiety

TUESDAY, Aug. 27, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- A cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) app is efficacious in improving symptoms in young adults with anxiety disorders, according to a study published online Aug. 20 in JAMA Network Open.

Jennifer N. Bress, Ph.D., from Weill Cornell Medicine in New York City, and colleagues investigated the efficacy of and engagement with Maya, a scalable, self-guided, comprehensive mobile CBT intervention. The analysis included 59 participants who received six weeks of the intervention and were randomly assigned to one of three different text message-based incentive conditions (gain-framed, loss-framed, or gain-social support).

The researchers found that anxiety, measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale, decreased across conditions from baseline to the end of the intervention (mean difference, −5.64), and symptomatic improvement was maintained at the week 12 follow-up (baseline to follow-up mean difference, −5.67). Change in anxiety did not differ by incentive condition. A similar pattern of improvement was seen for secondary anxiety measures (Anxiety Sensitivity Index and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale scores), with no evidence of differences between incentive conditions. Participants completed a mean of 10.8 of 12 sessions. At all study visits, the User Mobile Application Rating Scale app quality ratings exceeded the published threshold for acceptability, with no evidence that either session completion or app quality ratings differed by incentive condition.

"The findings of this study suggest that self-guided mobile cognitive behavioral therapy apps can be efficacious in improving anxiety symptoms, regardless of the type of incentive strategy used to promote engagement," the authors write.

Several authors disclosed ties to the medical technology industry.

Abstract/Full Text