A randomized controlled trial on COGITO, a free self-help smartphone app to enhance mental well-being

Steffen Moritz; Dominik Paweł Grudzień; Łukasz Gawęda; Adrianna Aleksandrowicz; Ryan Balzan; Athif Shaffy; Alina Bruhns; Swantje Marie Borsutzky; Lara Rolvien

doi:10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.021

A randomized controlled trial on COGITO, a free self-help smartphone app to enhance mental well-being

Steffen Moritz, Dominik Paweł Grudzień, Łukasz Gawęda, Adrianna Aleksandrowicz, Ryan Balzan, Athif Shaffy, Alina Bruhns, Swantje Marie Borsutzky, Lara Rolvien

College of Education, Psychology and Social Work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

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Abstract

Background: Smartphone apps may help to prevent the transition from minor to severe mental health problems. We compared a free self-help smartphone app (COGITO; www.uke.de/cogito_app) against a wait-list condition for the improvement of self-esteem and depression.

Methods: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale represented the primary outcome in this controlled trial. The final sample (n = 213) was randomly assigned to either the app or to the control condition.

Results: The app condition significantly improved the primary outcome relative to controls for all analyses. Satisfaction of completers was high. The present results warrant independent replication; the retention rate needs to be increased to allow solid inferences about acceptance.

Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the COGITO app may represent an effective self-help tool for psychological problems.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	254-257
Number of pages	4
Journal	Journal of Psychiatric Research
Volume	174
Early online date	11 Apr 2024
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.021
Publication status	Published - Jun 2024

Keywords

Anxiety
Depression
Self-help
Smartphone app
Well-being

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10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.021Licence: CC BY

Final published versionFinal published version, 954 KBLicence: CC BY

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title = "A randomized controlled trial on COGITO, a free self-help smartphone app to enhance mental well-being",

abstract = "Background: Smartphone apps may help to prevent the transition from minor to severe mental health problems. We compared a free self-help smartphone app (COGITO; www.uke.de/cogito_app) against a wait-list condition for the improvement of self-esteem and depression. Methods: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale represented the primary outcome in this controlled trial. The final sample (n = 213) was randomly assigned to either the app or to the control condition. Results: The app condition significantly improved the primary outcome relative to controls for all analyses. Satisfaction of completers was high. The present results warrant independent replication; the retention rate needs to be increased to allow solid inferences about acceptance. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the COGITO app may represent an effective self-help tool for psychological problems.",

keywords = "Anxiety, Depression, Self-help, Smartphone app, Well-being",

author = "Steffen Moritz and Grudzie{\'n}, {Dominik Pawe{\l}} and {\L}ukasz Gaw{\c e}da and Adrianna Aleksandrowicz and Ryan Balzan and Athif Shaffy and Alina Bruhns and Borsutzky, {Swantje Marie} and Lara Rolvien",

year = "2024",

month = jun,

doi = "10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.021",

language = "English",

volume = "174",

pages = "254--257",

journal = "Journal of Psychiatric Research",

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AU - Moritz, Steffen

AU - Grudzień, Dominik Paweł

AU - Gawęda, Łukasz

AU - Aleksandrowicz, Adrianna

AU - Balzan, Ryan

AU - Shaffy, Athif

AU - Bruhns, Alina

AU - Borsutzky, Swantje Marie

AU - Rolvien, Lara

PY - 2024/6

Y1 - 2024/6

N2 - Background: Smartphone apps may help to prevent the transition from minor to severe mental health problems. We compared a free self-help smartphone app (COGITO; www.uke.de/cogito_app) against a wait-list condition for the improvement of self-esteem and depression. Methods: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale represented the primary outcome in this controlled trial. The final sample (n = 213) was randomly assigned to either the app or to the control condition. Results: The app condition significantly improved the primary outcome relative to controls for all analyses. Satisfaction of completers was high. The present results warrant independent replication; the retention rate needs to be increased to allow solid inferences about acceptance. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the COGITO app may represent an effective self-help tool for psychological problems.

AB - Background: Smartphone apps may help to prevent the transition from minor to severe mental health problems. We compared a free self-help smartphone app (COGITO; www.uke.de/cogito_app) against a wait-list condition for the improvement of self-esteem and depression. Methods: The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale represented the primary outcome in this controlled trial. The final sample (n = 213) was randomly assigned to either the app or to the control condition. Results: The app condition significantly improved the primary outcome relative to controls for all analyses. Satisfaction of completers was high. The present results warrant independent replication; the retention rate needs to be increased to allow solid inferences about acceptance. Conclusions: The present study demonstrates that the COGITO app may represent an effective self-help tool for psychological problems.

KW - Anxiety

KW - Depression

KW - Self-help

KW - Smartphone app

KW - Well-being

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DO - 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2024.04.021

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SN - 0022-3956

VL - 174

SP - 254

EP - 257

JO - Journal of Psychiatric Research

JF - Journal of Psychiatric Research

ER -

A randomized controlled trial on COGITO, a free self-help smartphone app to enhance mental well-being

Abstract

Keywords

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