Evidence map›Paper›PMID 31496095›Full record

ArticleWorld psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)2019

The efficacy of app-supported smartphone interventions for mental health problems: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.

Jake Linardon, Pim Cuijpers, Per Carlbring, Mariel Messer, Matthew Fuller-Tyszkiewicz

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA), 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 404 papers, 21 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
404citing papers in PubMed, 21 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from 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.

2 · The registry

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.

NCT05027113 nacompletednot on this mapstarted 2021, after this paper: background citation

App-Based Mindfulness Meditation for People of Color Who Experience Race-Related Stress: A Randomized Control Trial

TypeinterventionalSponsorUniversity of California, Los AngelesRan2021 to 2022Enrolled155ConditionsStress, Psychological, Anxiety, Depression, RuminationArmsMindfulness meditation
NCT06455397 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Implementing BEAM: An mHealth Tool to Prevent Mental Health Problems and Improve Developmental Outcomes in Young Children

TypeinterventionalSponsorLeslie E. RoosRan2024 to 2027Enrolled400ConditionsDepression, Anxiety, Anger, Parenting, Stress, PsychologicalArmsThe Building Emotional Awareness and Mental Health (BEAM) Program
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

404 citing papers in PubMed, 21 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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  7. Online self-compassion-based interventions on patient outcomes in patients with cancer: a systematic review.Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer · 2026
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  10. Effectiveness of unguided web-based interventions for the treatment of depressive symptoms in improving the quality of life: a meta-analysis.Quality of life research : an international journal of quality of life aspects of treatment, care and rehabilitation · 2025
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  20. Mobile technologies for rehabilitation in non-specific spinal disorders: a systematic review of the efficacy and potential for implementation in low- and middle-income countries.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2023
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344 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Jake LinardonSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Pim CuijpersDepartment of Clinical, Neuro and Developmental Psychology, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute,  Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Per CarlbringDepartment of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
Mariel MesserSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.
Matthew Fuller-TyszkiewiczSchool of Psychology, Deakin University, Geelong, Victoria, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Although impressive progress has been made toward developing empirically-supported psychological treatments, the reality remains that a significant proportion of people with mental health problems do not receive these treatments. Finding ways to reduce this treatment gap is crucial. Since app-supported smartphone interventions are touted as a possible solution, access to up-to-date guidance around the evidence base and clinical utility of these interventions is needed. We conducted a meta-analysis of 66 randomized controlled trials of app-supported smartphone interventions for mental health problems. Smartphone interventions significantly outperformed control conditions in improving depressive (g=0.28, n=54) and generalized anxiety (g=0.30, n=39) symptoms, stress levels (g=0.35, n=27), quality of life (g=0.35, n=43), general psychiatric distress (g=0.40, n=12), social anxiety symptoms (g=0.58, n=6), and positive affect (g=0.44, n=6), with most effects being robust even after adjusting for various possible biasing factors (type of control condition, risk of bias rating). Smartphone interventions conferred no significant benefit over control conditions on panic symptoms (g=-0.05, n=3), post-traumatic stress symptoms (g=0.18, n=4), and negative affect (g=-0.08, n=5). Studies that delivered a cognitive behavior therapy (CBT)-based app and offered professional guidance and reminders to engage produced larger effects on multiple outcomes. Smartphone interventions did not differ significantly from active interventions (face-to-face, computerized treatment), although the number of studies was low (n≤13). The efficacy of app-supported smartphone interventions for common mental health problems was thus confirmed. Although mental health apps are not intended to replace professional clinical services, the present findings highlight the potential of apps to serve as a cost-effective, easily accessible, and low intensity intervention for those who cannot receive standard psychological treatment.

Indexed as

anxietyApp-supported smartphone interventionsdepressiongeneral psychiatric distressmental health problemspositive affectpsychological treatments

Identifiers

PMID31496095
PMCPMC6732686

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

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.