Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39229461›Full record

ArticleDigital health

Acceptability and usability of a WeChat-based intervention for depression in China: A mixed-methods study.

Yuxi Tan, Emily G Lattie, Hui Xiang, Hui Tang, Ziwei Teng, Yan Qiu, Jindong Chen, Haishan Wu

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Digital health. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Effects of empowered relief on pain catastrophizing and outcomes post-total knee arthroplasty: A quasi-experimental study.Hong Kong physiotherapy journal : official publication of the Hong Kong Physiotherapy Association Limited = Wu li chih liao · 2026
    Article
  2. Article
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

8 authors.

Yuxi TanMedical Psychological Center, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Emily G LattieDepartment of Medical Social Sciences, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Hui XiangDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Hui TangDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Ziwei TengDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Yan QiuDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Jindong ChenDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.
Haishan WuDepartment of Psychiatry, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, China.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6571-7024

Funding

Expanding College Student Mental Health with Stress Management Mobile TechnologiesK08MH112878 · NIMH · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY AT CHICAGO · PI LATTIE, EMILY GARDINER · 2017 to 2021
$746k
NIMH NIH HHS K08 MH112878
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: As research on the use of mobile technology to deliver mental health support grows, the research from China is still very limited. How to design an acceptable and usable mobile mental health service model suitable for China's social and cultural environment remains to be studied. Objective: To understand the acceptability and usability of a WeChat-based intervention among Chinese patients with depression, and to provide insights to promote future development of user-centered mobile mental health services design. Methods: The research team developed a multi-theoretical intervention that includes seven modules: recovery lessons, recovery journal, coaching sessions, mindfulness, personalized support, regular assessments and feedback collection. Forty-two patients diagnosed with depressive disorder were recruited, with a mixed sample of patients who were using an antidepressant medication ( Results: There was a retention rate of 83.33% - 22 participants who used an antidepressant medication and 13 participants who did not use an antidepressant medication completed the final assessments. The median (upper quartile-lower quartile) of the completed 60 recovery journals and 7 coaching sessions was 56 (59-46) and 6 (7-4) times, respectively. Participants' satisfaction regarding their recovery progress, and on perceived helpfulness on different modules were high. The overall score of the user version of the Mobile Application Rating Scale was 4.23 (SD 0.44, range 1-5), indicating high acceptability and usability. Qualitative feedback identified three key themes: an efficient access to professional help, a personalized source of social support, and a facilitator of cognitive and behavioral change. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that a WeChat-based intervention for depression was acceptable, and has the potential to promote personal recovery. More studies are needed to understand the efficacy and implementation of this model in real world.

Indexed as

Depressiondigital healthmental healthmobile phonerecovery-oriented service

Identifiers

PMID39229461
PMCPMC11369882

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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.