TY - JOUR
T1 - A randomized controlled trial of a smartphone-based application for the treatment of anxiety
AU - Newman, Michelle G.
AU - Jacobson, Nicholas C.
AU - Rackoff, Gavin N.
AU - Bell, Megan Jones
AU - Taylor, C. Barr
N1 - Funding Information:
We are grateful to the following organizations and individuals for funding for this trial: Stanford University School of Medicine’s Behavioral Medicine Lab, and National Institute of Mental Health Research Grant 1R01MH115128-01A1. We thank Lantern for contributing their platform and providing coaches to support this trial.
Funding Information:
This work was supported by National Institute of Mental Health: [Grant Number 1R01MH115128-01A1]; Stanford University School of Medicine?s Behavioral Medicine Lab: [Gift funds]. We are grateful to the following organizations and individuals for funding for this trial: Stanford University School of Medicine?s Behavioral Medicine Lab, and National Institute of Mental Health Research Grant 1R01MH115128-01A1. We thank Lantern for contributing their platform and providing coaches to support this trial.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2020, © 2020 Society for Psychotherapy Research.
PY - 2020
Y1 - 2020
N2 - Introduction: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent among college students. Smartphone-based interventions may be a low-cost treatment method. Method: College students with self-reported GAD were randomized to receive smartphone-based guided self-help (n = 50), or no treatment (n = 50). Post-treatment and six-month follow-up outcomes included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Form Stress Subscale (DASS Stress), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ-11), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait (STAI-T), as well as diagnostic status assessed by the GAD-Questionnaire, 4th edition. Results: From pre- to post-treatment, participants who received guided self-help (vs. no treatment) experienced significantly greater reductions on the DASS Stress (d = −0.408) and a greater probability of remission from GAD (d = −0.445). There was no significant between-group difference in change on the PSWQ-11 (d = −0.208) or STAI-T (d = −0.114). From post to six-month follow-up there was no significant loss of gains on DASS Stress scores (d = −0.141) and of those who had remitted, 78.6% remained remitted. Yet rates of remitted participants no longer differed significantly between conditions at follow-up (d = −0.229). Conclusion: Smartphone-based interventions may be efficacious in treating some aspects of GAD. Methods for improving symptom reduction and long-term outcome are discussed.
AB - Introduction: Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is prevalent among college students. Smartphone-based interventions may be a low-cost treatment method. Method: College students with self-reported GAD were randomized to receive smartphone-based guided self-help (n = 50), or no treatment (n = 50). Post-treatment and six-month follow-up outcomes included the Depression Anxiety Stress Scales-Short Form Stress Subscale (DASS Stress), the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ-11), and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory-Trait (STAI-T), as well as diagnostic status assessed by the GAD-Questionnaire, 4th edition. Results: From pre- to post-treatment, participants who received guided self-help (vs. no treatment) experienced significantly greater reductions on the DASS Stress (d = −0.408) and a greater probability of remission from GAD (d = −0.445). There was no significant between-group difference in change on the PSWQ-11 (d = −0.208) or STAI-T (d = −0.114). From post to six-month follow-up there was no significant loss of gains on DASS Stress scores (d = −0.141) and of those who had remitted, 78.6% remained remitted. Yet rates of remitted participants no longer differed significantly between conditions at follow-up (d = −0.229). Conclusion: Smartphone-based interventions may be efficacious in treating some aspects of GAD. Methods for improving symptom reduction and long-term outcome are discussed.
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U2 - 10.1080/10503307.2020.1790688
DO - 10.1080/10503307.2020.1790688
M3 - Article
C2 - 32662323
AN - SCOPUS:85087933061
SN - 1050-3307
SP - 1
EP - 12
JO - Psychotherapy Research
JF - Psychotherapy Research
ER -