@Article{info:doi/10.2196/14269,
author="Coelhoso, C{\'a}ssia Canha
and Tobo, Patricia Renovato
and Lacerda, Shirley Silva
and Lima, Alex Heitor
and Barrichello, Carla Regina Camara
and Amaro Jr, Edson
and Kozasa, Elisa Harumi",
title="A New Mental Health Mobile App for Well-Being and Stress Reduction in Working Women: Randomized Controlled Trial",
journal="J Med Internet Res",
year="2019",
month="Nov",
day="7",
volume="21",
number="11",
pages="e14269",
keywords="stress, psychological; mental health; health promotion; mobile applications; mind-body therapies; meditation; behavioral symptoms; behavioral medicine; psychology; women's health",
abstract="Background: Although the availability and use of mobile mental health apps has grown exponentially in recent years, little data are available regarding their efficacy. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an app developed to promote stress management and well-being among working women compared with a control app. Methods: Female employees at a private hospital were invited to participate in the study via mailing lists and intranet ads. A total of 653 individuals self-enrolled through the website. Eligible participants were randomized between control (n=240) and intervention (n=250) groups. The well-being mobile app provides an 8-week program with 4 classes per week (including a brief theoretical portion and a 15-min guided practice). The active control app also provided 4 assessments per week that encouraged participants to self-observe how they were feeling for 20 min. We also used the app to conduct Web-based questionnaires (10-item Perceived Stress Scale and 5-item World Health Organization Well-Being Index) and ask specific questions to assess subjective levels of stress and well-being at baseline (t1), midintervention (t4=4 weeks after t1) and postintervention (t8=8 weeks after t1). Both apps were fully automated without any human involvement. Outcomes from the control and intervention conditions at the 3 time points were analyzed using a repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Among the randomized participants (n=490), 185 participants were excluded at the 4-week follow-up and another 79 at the 8-week follow-up because of noncompliance with the experimental protocol. Participants who did not complete t4 and t8 assessments were equally distributed between groups (t4: control group=34.6{\%} [83/240] and intervention group=40.8{\%} [102/250]; P=.16; t8: control group=29.9{\%} [47/157] and intervention group=21.6{\%} [32/148]; P=.10). Both groups showed a significant increase in general well-being as a function of time (F2,426=5.27; P=.006), but only the intervention group presented a significant increase in work-related well-being (F2,426=8.92; P<.001), as well as a significant reduction in work-related and overall stress (F2,426=5.50; P=.004 and F2,426=8.59; P<.001, respectively). Conclusions: The well-being mobile app was effective in reducing employee stress and improving well-being. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov NCT02637414; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02637414. ",
issn="1438-8871",
doi="10.2196/14269",
url="https://www.jmir.org/2019/11/e14269",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/14269",
url="http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/31697244"
}