SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2017
Mental Health Mobile Apps for Preadolescents and Adolescents: A Systematic Review.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 5 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 236 papers, 23 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Evaluating the Use of a Mobile App to Reduce Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety for Students Seeking Care at Harvard University Health Services
Mental Health Mobile Application Self-Help for Adolescents Exhibiting Mild Psychological Distress: A Single Case Experimental Design
iWellness Study: Evaluation of a CBT Chatbot App to Promote Mental Wellness in Students
Effectiveness of E-health Intervention Using Smart Phone App to Reduce Anxiety & Depressive Symptoms Among Adolescents: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Prevention Programme for Improvement of Well-being and Level of Participation in Adolescents With Enhanced Psychiatric Burden in the School Environment.
Who cites it
236 citing papers in PubMed, 23 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 570 citations in OpenAlex.
- Generative AI in Youth Mental Health Apps: Rapid Review.JMIR mental health · 2026Pooled it
- Updates on digital mental health interventions for children and young people: systematic overview of reviews.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2025Pooled it
- Smartphone apps for mental health: systematic review of the literature and five recommendations for clinical translation.BMJ open · 2025Pooled it
- Universal digital mental health interventions for children and youth: a scoping review.Frontiers in digital health · 2025Pooled it
- The Acceptability, Engagement, and Feasibility of Mental Health Apps for Marginalized and Underserved Young People: Systematic Review and Qualitative Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- Impact of mobile phones and wireless devices use on children and adolescents' mental health: a systematic review.European child & adolescent psychiatry · 2024Pooled it
- Outcomes of Best-Practice Guided Digital Mental Health Interventions for Youth and Young Adults with Emerging Symptoms: Part I. A Systematic Review of Socioemotional Outcomes and Recommendations.Clinical child and family psychology review · 2024Pooled it
- Acceptability of Tele-mental Health Services Among Users: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.BMC public health · 2024Pooled it
- Effectiveness of Online and Remote Interventions for Mental Health in Children, Adolescents, and Young Adults After the Onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JMIR mental health · 2024Pooled it
- Mental health-related telemedicine interventions for pregnant women and new mothers: a systematic literature review.BMC psychiatry · 2023Pooled it
- Interventions with Digital Tools for Mental Health Promotion among 11-18 Year Olds: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of youth and adolescence · 2023Pooled it
- Design Features Associated With Engagement in Mobile Health Physical Activity Interventions Among Youth: Systematic Review of Qualitative and Quantitative Studies.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2023Pooled it
- Characteristics of Mobile Health Platforms for Depression and Anxiety: Content Analysis Through a Systematic Review of the Literature and Systematic Search of Two App Stores.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Pooled it
- Smartphone-Based Interventions and Internalizing Disorders in Youth: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.Journal of medical Internet research · 2021Pooled it
- Rapid Systematic Review: The Impact of Social Isolation and Loneliness on the Mental Health of Children and Adolescents in the Context of COVID-19.Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry · 2020Pooled it
- Relationship Between Depression and the Use of Mobile Technologies and Social Media Among Adolescents: Umbrella Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Engaging Children and Young People in Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Review of Modes of Delivery, Facilitators, and Barriers.Journal of medical Internet research · 2020Pooled it
- Smartphone Apps for the Treatment of Mental Disorders: Systematic Review.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2020Pooled it
- Digital interventions for parents of acutely ill children and their treatment-seeking behaviour: a systematic review.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2020Pooled it
- Evaluating reach, adoption, implementation and maintenance of Internet-based interventions to prevent eating disorders in adolescents: a systematic review.European journal of public health · 2020Pooled it
176 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThere are an increasing number of mobile apps available for adolescents with mental health problems and an increasing interest in assimilating mobile health (mHealth) into mental health services. Despite the growing number of apps available, the evidence base for their efficacy is unclear.
objectiveThis review aimed to systematically appraise the available research evidence on the efficacy and acceptability of mobile apps for mental health in children and adolescents younger than 18 years.
methodsThe following were systematically searched for relevant publications between January 2008 and July 2016: APA PsychNet, ACM Digital Library, Cochrane Library, Community Care Inform-Children, EMBASE, Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, Social Policy and Practice, Web of Science, Journal of Medical Internet Research, Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, and OpenGrey. Abstracts were included if they described mental health apps (targeting depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, self-harm, suicide prevention, conduct disorder, eating disorders and body image issues, schizophrenia, psychosis, and insomnia) for mobile devices and for use by adolescents younger than 18 years.
resultsA total of 24 publications met the inclusion criteria. These described 15 apps, two of which were available to download. Two small randomized trials and one case study failed to demonstrate a significant effect of three apps on intended mental health outcomes. Articles that analyzed the content of six apps for children and adolescents that were available to download established that none had undergone any research evaluation. Feasibility outcomes suggest acceptability of apps was good and app usage was moderate.
conclusionsOverall, there is currently insufficient research evidence to support the effectiveness of apps for children, preadolescents, and adolescents with mental health problems. Given the number and pace at which mHealth apps are being released on app stores, methodologically robust research studies evaluating their safety, efficacy, and effectiveness is promptly needed.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.