MoodHacker Mobile Web App With Email for Adults to Self-Manage Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial

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Abstract

Background

Worldwide, depression is rated as the fourth leading cause of disease burden and is projected to be the second leading cause of disability by 2020. Annual depression-related costs in the United States are estimated at US $210.5 billion, with employers bearing over 50% of these costs in productivity loss, absenteeism, and disability. Because most adults with depression never receive treatment, there is a need to develop effective interventions that can be more widely disseminated through new channels, such as employee assistance programs (EAPs), and directly to individuals who will not seek face-to-face care.

Objective

This study evaluated a self-guided intervention, using the MoodHacker mobile Web app to activate the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) skills in working adults with mild-to-moderate depression. It was hypothesized that MoodHacker users would experience reduced depression symptoms and negative cognitions, and increased behavioral activation, knowledge of depression, and functioning in the workplace.

Methods

A parallel two-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 300 employed adults exhibiting mild-to-moderate depression. Participants were recruited from August 2012 through April 2013 in partnership with an EAP and with outreach through a variety of additional non-EAP organizations. Participants were blocked on race/ethnicity and then randomly assigned within each block to receive, without clinical support, either the MoodHacker intervention (n=150) or alternative care consisting of links to vetted websites on depression (n=150). Participants in both groups completed online self-assessment surveys at baseline, 6 weeks after baseline, and 10 weeks after baseline. Surveys assessed (1) depression symptoms, (2) behavioral activation, (3) negative thoughts, (4) worksite outcomes, (5) depression knowledge, and (6) user satisfaction and usability. After randomization, all interactions with subjects were automated with the exception of safety-related follow-up calls to subjects reporting current suicidal ideation and/or severe depression symptoms.

Results

At 6-week follow-up, significant effects were found on depression, behavioral activation, negative thoughts, knowledge, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress. MoodHacker yielded significant effects on depression symptoms, work productivity, work absence, and workplace distress for those who reported access to an EAP, but no significant effects on these outcome measures for those without EAP access. Participants in the treatment arm used the MoodHacker app an average of 16.0 times (SD 13.3), totaling an average of 1.3 hours (SD 1.3) of use between pretest and 6-week follow-up. Significant effects on work absence in those with EAP access persisted at 10-week follow-up.

Conclusions

This randomized effectiveness trial found that the MoodHacker app produced significant effects on depression symptoms (partial eta ² = .021) among employed adults at 6-week follow-up when compared to subjects with access to relevant depression Internet sites. The app had stronger effects for individuals with access to an EAP (partial eta ² = .093). For all users, the MoodHacker program also yielded greater improvement on work absence, as well as the mediating factors of behavioral activation, negative thoughts, and knowledge of depression self-care. Significant effects were maintained at 10-week follow-up for work absence. General attenuation of effects at 10-week follow-up underscores the importance of extending program contacts to maintain user engagement. This study suggests that light-touch, CBT-based mobile interventions like MoodHacker may be appropriate for implementation within EAPs and similar environments. In addition, it seems likely that supporting MoodHacker users with guidance from counselors may improve effectiveness for those who seek in-person support.

Trial Registration

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02335554; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02335554 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/6dGXKWjWE)

Related collections

Most cited references 69

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The costs of depression.

Ronald C Kessler (2012)

The data reported herein show clearly that major depression is a commonly occurring and burdensome disorder. The high prevalence, early age of onset, and high persistence of MDD in the many different countries where epidemiologic surveys have been administered confirm the high worldwide importance of depression. Although evidence is not definitive that MDD plays a causal role in its associations with the many adverse outcomes reviewed here, there is clear evidence that depression has causal effects on a number of important mediators, making it difficult to assume anything other than that depression has strong causal effects on many dimensions of burden. These results have been used to argue for the likely cost -effectiveness of expanded depression treatment from a societal perspective. Two separate, large-scale, randomized, workplace depression treatment effectiveness trials have been carried out in the United States to evaluate the cost effectiveness of expanded treatment from an employer perspective. Both trials had positive returns on investment to employers. A substantial expansion of worksite depression care management programs has occurred in the United States subsequent to the publication of these trials. However, the proportion of people with depression who receive treatment remains low in the United States and even lower in other parts of the world. A recent US study found that only about half of workers with MDD received treatment in the year of interview and that fewer than half of treated workers received treatment consistent with published treatment guidelines. Although the treatment rate was higher for more severe cases, even some with severe MDD often failed to receive treatment. The WMH surveys show that treatment rates are even lower in many other developed countries and consistently much lower in developing countries. Less information is available on rates of depression treatment among patients with chronic physical disorders, but available evidence suggests that expanded treatment could be of considerable value. Randomized, controlled trials are needed to expand our understanding of the effects of detection and treatment of depression among people in treatment for chronic physical disorders. In addition, controlled effectiveness trials with long-term follow-ups are needed to increase our understanding of the effects of early MDD treatment interventions on changes in life course role trajectories, role performance, and onset of secondary physical disorders.

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David M. Fergusson, L John Horwood, Elizabeth M Ridder … (2005)

There is increasing interest in the extent to which individuals with subthreshold depression face increased risks of subsequent major depression and other disorders. To examine linkages between the extent of depressive symptoms (asymptomatic, subthreshold, major depression) at ages 17 to 18 years and mental health outcomes up to age 25 years in a New Zealand birth cohort. Data were gathered during the Christchurch Health and Development Study, a 25-year longitudinal study of a birth cohort of 1265 New Zealand children (635 males, 630 females). General community sample. The analysis was based on 1006 participants who represented 80% of the original cohort. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition symptom criteria for major depression and anxiety disorder, treatment-seeking, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempt. There were significant associations (P<.01) between the extent of depression at ages 17 to 18 years and rates of subsequent depressive symptoms, major depression, treatment for depression, anxiety disorder, treatment for anxiety disorder, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts. After adjustment for covariate factors, the extent of depression at ages 17 to 18 years remained associated with later depression and suicidal tendencies. Planned comparisons showed that sample members with subthreshold depression had a similar prognosis to those meeting criteria for major depression. Findings suggest that sample members with subthreshold depression are a group with elevated risks of later depression and suicidal behaviors. Current diagnostic procedures, which classify people with subthreshold depression into complex discrete groups, might obscure the fact that depressive symptoms are dimensional and range from none to severe.

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Harnessing Context Sensing to Develop a Mobile Intervention for Depression

Michelle Burns, Mark Begale, Jennifer Duffecy … (2011)

Background Mobile phone sensors can be used to develop context-aware systems that automatically detect when patients require assistance. Mobile phones can also provide ecological momentary interventions that deliver tailored assistance during problematic situations. However, such approaches have not yet been used to treat major depressive disorder. Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the technical feasibility, functional reliability, and patient satisfaction with Mobilyze!, a mobile phone- and Internet-based intervention including ecological momentary intervention and context sensing. Methods We developed a mobile phone application and supporting architecture, in which machine learning models (ie, learners) predicted patients’ mood, emotions, cognitive/motivational states, activities, environmental context, and social context based on at least 38 concurrent phone sensor values (eg, global positioning system, ambient light, recent calls). The website included feedback graphs illustrating correlations between patients’ self-reported states, as well as didactics and tools teaching patients behavioral activation concepts. Brief telephone calls and emails with a clinician were used to promote adherence. We enrolled 8 adults with major depressive disorder in a single-arm pilot study to receive Mobilyze! and complete clinical assessments for 8 weeks. Results Promising accuracy rates (60% to 91%) were achieved by learners predicting categorical contextual states (eg, location). For states rated on scales (eg, mood), predictive capability was poor. Participants were satisfied with the phone application and improved significantly on self-reported depressive symptoms (betaweek = –.82, P < .001, per-protocol Cohen d = 3.43) and interview measures of depressive symptoms (betaweek = –.81, P < .001, per-protocol Cohen d = 3.55). Participants also became less likely to meet criteria for major depressive disorder diagnosis (bweek = –.65, P = .03, per-protocol remission rate = 85.71%). Comorbid anxiety symptoms also decreased (betaweek = –.71, P < .001, per-protocol Cohen d = 2.58). Conclusions Mobilyze! is a scalable, feasible intervention with preliminary evidence of efficacy. To our knowledge, it is the first ecological momentary intervention for unipolar depression, as well as one of the first attempts to use context sensing to identify mental health-related states. Several lessons learned regarding technical functionality, data mining, and software development process are discussed. Trial Registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01107041; http://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01107041 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/60CVjPH0n)

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Author and article information

Contributors

Amelia J Birney:

ORCASP.O. Box 1226Eugene, OR, 97440United States1 541 349 48261 541 342 4270abirney@orcasinc.com

ORCID: http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5845-2681

Journal

Journal ID (nlm-ta): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (iso-abbrev): JMIR Mhealth Uhealth

Journal ID (publisher-id): JMU

Title: JMIR mHealth and uHealth

Publisher: JMIR Publications Inc. (Toronto, Canada )

ISSN (Electronic): 2291-5222

Publication date Collection: Jan-Mar 2016

Publication date (Electronic): 26 January 2016

Volume: 4

Issue: 1

Electronic Location Identifier: e8

Affiliations

[1] ¹ORCAS Eugene, ORUnited States

Author notes

Corresponding Author: Amelia J Birney abirney@ 123456orcasinc.com

Author information

Amelia J Birney http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5845-2681

Rebecca Gunn http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6997-8902

Jeremy K Russell http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7034-726X

Dennis V Ary http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0366-1619

Article

Publisher ID: v4i1e8

DOI: 10.2196/mhealth.4231

PMC ID: 4748138

PubMed ID: 26813737

SO-VID: 27a5f639-3acb-4647-8540-81be5d140dfa

License:

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License ( http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work, first published in JMIR mhealth and uhealth, is properly cited. The complete bibliographic information, a link to the original publication on http://mhealth.jmir.org/, as well as this copyright and license information must be included.

History

Date received : 13 January 2015

Date revision requested : 25 February 2015

Date revision received : 27 May 2015

Date accepted : 7 October 2015

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