ArticleJMIR formative research2023
Engagement, Satisfaction, and Mental Health Outcomes Across Different Residential Subgroup Users of a Digital Mental Health Relational Agent: Exploratory Single-Arm Study.
Article in JMIR formative research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05672745 (An Open-label Pilot Study to Learn How the Phenotypical Characteristics of Woebot Users Are Related to Clinical Outcomes), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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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.
An Open-label Pilot Study to Learn How the Phenotypical Characteristics of Woebot Users Are Related to Clinical Outcomes
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 13 citations in OpenAlex.
- Does the Digital Therapeutic Alliance Exist? Integrative Review.JMIR mental health · 2025Pooled it
- Designing and Evaluating Digital Mental Health Interventions: Scoping Review.JMIR mental health · 2026Article
- The Development and Use of AI Chatbots for Health Behavior Change: Scoping Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2026Article
- Self-Guided Smartphone App (Vimbo) for the Reduction of Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety in South African Adults: Pilot Quantitative Single-Arm Study.JMIR formative research · 2025Article
- Persuasive chatbot-based interventions for depression: a list of recommendations for improving reporting standards.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2025Article
- Using a Digital Mental Health Intervention for Crisis Support and Mental Health Care Among Children and Adolescents With Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors: Retrospective Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- Feasibility and utility of mobile health interventions for depression and anxiety in rural populations: A scoping review.Internet interventions · 2024Article
- The ethical aspects of integrating sentiment and emotion analysis in chatbots for depression intervention.Frontiers in psychiatry · 2024Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMental illness is a pervasive worldwide public health issue. Residentially vulnerable populations, such as those living in rural medically underserved areas (MUAs) or mental health provider shortage areas (MHPSAs), face unique access barriers to mental health care. Despite the growth of digital mental health interventions using relational agent technology, little is known about their use patterns, efficacy, and favorability among residentially vulnerable populations.
objectiveThis study aimed to explore differences in app use, therapeutic alliance, mental health outcomes, and satisfaction across residential subgroups (metropolitan, nonmetropolitan, or rural), MUAs (yes or no), and MHPSAs (yes or no) among users of a smartphone-based, digital mental health intervention, Woebot LIFE (WB-LIFE). WB-LIFE was designed to help users better understand and manage their moods and features a relational agent, Woebot, that converses through text-based messages.
methodsWe used an exploratory study that examined data from 255 adults enrolled in an 8-week, single-arm trial of WB-LIFE. Analyses compared levels of app use and therapeutic alliance total scores as well as subscales (goal, task, and bond), mental health outcomes (depressive and anxiety symptoms, stress, resilience, and burnout), and program satisfaction across residential subgroups.
resultsFew study participants resided in nonmetropolitan (25/255, 10%) or rural (3/255, 1%) areas, precluding estimates across this variable. Despite a largely metropolitan sample, nearly 39% (99/255) resided in an MUA and 55% (141/255) in an MHPSA. There were no significant differences in app use or satisfaction by MUA or MHPSA status. There also were no differences in depressive symptoms, anxiety, stress, resilience, or burnout, with the exception of MUA participants having higher baseline depressive symptoms among those starting in the moderate range or higher (Patient Health Questionnaire-8 item scale≥10) than non-MUA participants (mean 16.50 vs 14.41, respectively; P=.01). Although working alliance scores did not differ by MHPSA status, those who resided in an MUA had higher goal (2-tailed t
conclusionsDespite the study not recruiting many participants from rural or nonmetropolitan populations, sizable proportions resided in an MUA or an MHPSA. Analyses revealed few differences in app use, therapeutic alliance, mental health outcomes (including baseline levels), or satisfaction across MUA or MHPSA status over the 8-week study. Findings suggest that vulnerable residential populations may benefit from using digital agent-guided cognitive behavioral therapy.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05672745; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05672745.
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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.