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.
BACKGROUND
Mobile 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.


METHODS
Community-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.


RESULTS
Retention 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.


CONCLUSIONS
The 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.


BACKGROUND
Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN 12610000625077.
Black Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Hospital Road, Randwick, Sydney, New South Wales 2031, Australia. j.proudfoot@unsw.edu.au.
Judith
J
Proudfoot
Janine
J
Clarke
Mary-Rose
MR
Birch
Alexis E
AE
Whitton
Gordon
G
Parker
Vijaya
V
Manicavasagar
Virginia
V
Harrison
Helen
H
Christensen
Dusan
D
Hadzi-Pavlovic
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D040421:Cell Phone; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012648:Self Care; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D012917:Social Adjustment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D013813:Therapy, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome