Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39358704›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2024

A randomized controlled trial of a self-guided mobile app targeting repetitive negative thought to prevent depression in university students: study protocol of the Nurture-U Reducing Worry prevention trial.

E R Watkins, D Phillips, T Cranston, H Choueiri, M Newton, H Cook, G Taylor

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC psychiatry, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing 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

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Observational
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. 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

7 authors.

E R WatkinsSir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4LN, UK. e.r.watkins@exeter.ac.uk.
D PhillipsClinical Trials Unit, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
T CranstonClinical Trials Unit, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
H ChoueiriSir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4LN, UK.
M NewtonSir Henry Wellcome Building for Mood Disorders Research, School of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, EX4 4LN, UK.
H CookClinical Trials Unit, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.
G TaylorClinical Trials Unit, University of Exeter Medical School, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK.

Funding

Medical Research Council MR/W002442/1
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundTackling poor mental health in university students has been identified as a priority in higher education. However, there are few evidence-based prevention initiatives designed for students. Repetitive Negative Thought (RNT, e.g. worry, rumination) is elevated in university students and is a well-established vulnerability factor for anxiety and depression. Furthermore, there are now evidence-based cognitive-behavioural interventions to tackle RNT. A mobile self-help cognitive-behavioural app targeting RNT, adapted for students may therefore be an effective, scalable, and acceptable way to improve prevention in students.

methodsAn online single blind, two-arm parallel-group Randomised Controlled Trial (RCT) to examine the incidence of major depression and symptoms of anxiety and depression across 12 months in university students aged over 16 who screen into the study with self-reported high levels of worry and/or rumination and no current diagnosis of major depression. Eligible participants will be randomised to the active intervention arm (usual practice plus using a self-guided mobile app targeting RNT) or to the control arm (usual practice). In total, 648 participants aged over 16, with no current major depression, bipolar disorder or psychosis will be recruited from UK universities. Assessments will take place at baseline (pre-randomisation), 3 months and 12 months post- randomisation. Primary endpoint and outcome is incidence of major depression as determined by self-reported diagnostic criteria at 12-month follow-up. Depressive symptoms, anxiety, well-being, health-related quality of life, functioning and academic outcomes are secondary outcomes. Compliance, adverse events, and potentially mediating variables will be carefully monitored. DISCUSSION: The trial aims to provide a better understanding of the causal role of tackling RNT (worry, rumination) using a self-help mobile app with respect to preventing depression in university students. This knowledge will be used to develop and disseminate innovative evidence-based, feasible, and effective mobile-health public health strategies for preventing common mental health problems.

trial registrationhttps://www.isrctn.com/ISRCTN86795807 Date of registration: 27 October 2022.

Indexed as

AnxietyDepressionMobile ApplicationsStudentsAdolescentAdultCognitive Behavioral TherapyFemaleHumansMajor Depressive DisorderMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicRumination, CognitiveSingle-Blind MethodUniversitiesYoung AdultDepressionMobile-health preventionRandomised controlled trialRuminationUniversity studentsWell-beingWorry

Identifiers

PMID39358704
PMCPMC11445847

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.