Evidence map›Paper›PMID 39847426›Full record

ArticleJMIR formative research2025

Identifying the Minimal Clinically Important Difference in Emotion Regulation Among Youth Using the JoyPop App: Survey Study.

Jaidyn Charlton, Ishaq Malik, Angela M Ashley, Amanda Newton, Elaine Toombs, Fred Schmidt, Janine V Olthuis, Kristine Stasiuk, Tina Bobinski, Aislin Mushquash

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Article in JMIR formative research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
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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

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3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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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

10 authors.

Jaidyn CharltonDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-0213-6174
Ishaq MalikDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-1228-208X
Angela M AshleyDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0002-7121-8296
Amanda NewtonDepartment of Pediatrics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3020-674X
Elaine ToombsDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-9863-2713
Fred SchmidtDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0001-9860-2437
Janine V OlthuisDepartment of Psychology, University of New Brunswick, Fredericton, NB, Canada.ORCID 0000-0003-3538-7682
Kristine StasiukDilico Anishinabek Family Care, Fort William First Nation, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0004-7489-9757
Tina BobinskiDilico Anishinabek Family Care, Fort William First Nation, ON, Canada.ORCID 0009-0000-3153-4628
Aislin MushquashDepartment of Psychology, Lakehead University, Thunder Bay, ON, Canada.ORCID 0000-0002-4494-1326

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundThe minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is an important threshold to consider when evaluating the meaningfulness of improvement following an intervention. The JoyPop app is an evidence-based smartphone app designed to improve resilience and emotion regulation. Information is needed regarding the JoyPop app's MCID among culturally diverse youth.

objectiveThis study aims to calculate the MCID for youth using the JoyPop app and to explore how the MCID may differ for a subset of Indigenous youth.

methodsYouth (N=36; aged 12-18 years) were recruited to use the JoyPop app for up to 4 weeks as part of a larger pilot evaluation. Results were based on measures completed after 2 weeks of app use. The MCID was calculated using emotion regulation change scores (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation-Short Form [DERS-SF]) and subjective ratings on the Global Rating of Change Scale (GRCS). This MCID calculation was completed for youth overall and separately for Indigenous youth only.

resultsA significant correlation between GRCS scores and change scores on the DERS-SF supported face validity (r=-0.37; P=.04). The MCID in emotion regulation following the use of the JoyPop app for youth overall was 2.80 on the DERS-SF. The MCID for Indigenous youth was 4.29 on the DERS-SF. In addition, most youth reported improved emotion regulation after using the JoyPop app.

conclusionsThese MCID findings provide a meaningful threshold for improvement in emotion regulation for the JoyPop app. They provide potential effect sizes and can aid in sample size estimations for future research with the JoyPop app or e-mental health technologies in general. The difference between overall youth and Indigenous youth MCID values also highlights the importance of patient-oriented ratings of symptom improvement as well as cultural considerations when conducting intervention research and monitoring new interventions in clinical practice.

Indexed as

Emotional RegulationMinimal Clinically Important DifferenceMobile ApplicationsAdolescentChildFemaleHumansMalePilot ProjectsSurveys and Questionnairesadolescent mental healthappclinical psychologyemotion regulationIndigenous mental healthIndigenous youthJoyPopmental healthmental health interventionsmHealthmobile healthmobile phonepediatricspsychometricsresilience

Identifiers

PMID39847426
PMCPMC11803318

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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.