Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41625634›Full record

ReviewJournal of education and health promotion2025

Mobile health (mHealth) apps for ADHD: A systematic review of app quality and positive technology features.

Yufan Jin, Amira Firdaus, Hao Zhang

Abstract readReview
In one paragraph

Review in Journal of education and health promotion, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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0cells of the map it votes in
0citing 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

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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

3 authors.

Yufan JinDepartment of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
Amira FirdausDepartment of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia.
Hao ZhangDepartment of Media and Communication Studies, Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences, University of Malaya, Malaysia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Mobile health (mHealth) technologies have emerged as positive tools for enhancing physical and psychological well-being. These technologies offer valuable support for various mental health and behavioral conditions, including attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). This study systematically reviews and evaluates ADHD mobile apps using the mobile application rating scale (MARS) to evaluate app quality and the personal experience factors for positive technology to identify positive technology features of the apps. Using the PRISMA protocol, a search was conducted on the Apple App Store and Google Play for ADHD apps available in English, free, and with star ratings. Of 829 apps, 17 met the inclusion criteria: 12 from the Apple App Store and five from Google Play. Overall, the quality of the reviewed apps was moderate. App functionality contribute positively to app quality. The lack of engagement features, on the other hand, negatively affected ADHD app quality scores. These results indicate that mobile ADHD apps are primarily designed for psycho-education and to support users' in managing their ADHD, and not for social engagement. Positive correlations were found between the number of positive technological features and overall MARS scores." Features found in these apps positively correlate with higher engagement, improved aesthetics, and overall app quality. These findings underscore the importance of positive technological features in reinforcing user engagement and satisfaction, which is vital for improving the usability and effectiveness of ADHD mobile apps. The study offers a systematic method for user app selection that diverges from the traditional reliance on popularity influenced by crowd mentality. The study findings also provide a valuable resource for ADHD app developers, potentially encouraging the integration of positive technology features and evidence-based practices in mHealth app development.

Indexed as

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)digital healthmobile applicationspositivepsychology

Identifiers

PMID41625634
PMCPMC12854323

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.