Evaluating smartphone-based interventions for anxiety and depressive symptoms: A randomized controlled trial.
Behav Res TherAug 14, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchPsychiatry
Michael J Zvolensky, Lorra Garey, Matthew W Gallagher et al.
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In 30 seconds
This randomized controlled trial assessed the effectiveness of two smartphone-based interventions for anxiety and depression symptoms among 822 racially and ethnically diverse adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. While both interventions showed high engagement, the primary analysis revealed no statistically significant differences in anxiety and depression symptoms at the 6-month endpoint.
Key findings
- Both interventions demonstrated high engagement among participants.
- No statistically significant differences were found between groups for anxiety and depression at 6 months.
- Within-person effect sizes indicated decreases in anxiety and depression symptoms over time.
- Exploratory subgroup analyses showed variable patterns of change across racial and ethnic groups.
Why it matters
Understanding the effectiveness of digital interventions for mental health is crucial, especially during crises like the COVID-19 pandemic. These findings can inform future mental health strategies and interventions in diverse populations.