Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health最新文献

{"title":"Insights from fifteen years of real-world development, testing and implementation of youth digital mental health interventions","authors":"Shane Cross ,&nbsp;Shaminka Mangelsdorf ,&nbsp;Lee Valentine ,&nbsp;Shaunagh O'Sullivan ,&nbsp;Carla McEnery ,&nbsp;Isabelle Scott ,&nbsp;Tamsyn Gilbertson ,&nbsp;Shona Louis ,&nbsp;Jon Myer ,&nbsp;Ping Liu ,&nbsp;Niel Mac Dhonnagáin ,&nbsp;Tom Wren ,&nbsp;Eleanor Carey ,&nbsp;Daniela Cagliarini ,&nbsp;Ross Jacobs ,&nbsp;Roos Pot-Kolder ,&nbsp;Imogen Bell ,&nbsp;Jennifer Nicholas ,&nbsp;Lucia Valmaggia ,&nbsp;John Gleeson ,&nbsp;Mario Alvarez-Jimenez","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100849","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100849","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This paper reviews the current evidence and synthesizes fifteen years of real-world development, testing, and implementation of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for young people. Drawing on the work of Orygen Digital, we outline the evolution of interventions including the Moderated Online Social Therapy (MOST) platform, the Mello app, and a suite of virtual reality-based therapies; all developed to meet the complex clinical, developmental, and service needs of youth aged 12 to 25.</div><div>We identify ten key challenges and opportunities encountered in designing, developing and implementing these DMHIs: (1) meaningful co-design; (2) sustained user engagement; (3) personalization and transdiagnostic targeting; (4) optimizing intensities of human support; (5) leveraging peer support and social networking; (6) embedding DMHIs in clinical services; (7) blending digital and face-to-face care; (8) building data infrastructure and learning health systems; (9) developing sustainable and scalable business models; and (10) preparing DMHIs for large language models. Each theme reflects both achievements and persistent challenges, and is illustrated through a synthesis of the current evidence and real-world insights from our clinical trials and national-scale service implementations.</div><div>Our approach is grounded in various frameworks including clinical staging, self-determination theory, supportive accountability, and minimally disruptive medicine. Emerging innovations such as just-in-time adaptive interventions, extended reality (XR) therapies, stratified treatment models, and large language models offer promising future pathways for greater personalization, engagement, effectiveness, and scalability.</div><div>Our findings highlight the potential value of context-sensitive, co-designed, and system-integrated DMHIs, while also emphasising enduring limitations such as variable engagement, implementation barriers, and population-specific adaptation. Moving beyond controlled efficacy trials toward agile, real-world learning health systems will be essential to realising the full potential of DMHIs in transforming youth mental health care.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100849"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144490067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Feasibility trial of an unguided ultra-brief online psychological intervention within an online mental health clinic: The “things you do” intervention","authors":"Ram P. Sapkota ,&nbsp;Alayna Gretton ,&nbsp;Andrew Wilhelms ,&nbsp;Madelyne A. Bisby ,&nbsp;Blake Dear ,&nbsp;Nick Titov ,&nbsp;Heather D. Hadjistavropoulos","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100852","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100852","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This feasibility study evaluated the acceptability and effectiveness of the <em>Things You Do</em> (TYD) intervention within a routine online therapy clinic. The TYD intervention is an ultra-brief unguided online intervention targeting symptoms of depression and anxiety by promoting engagement in empirically supported thoughts and behaviors (actions). It is comprised of one lesson, two worksheets and automated daily email reminders for one month. In total, 73 out of 112 help-seeking individuals completed the TYD intervention after being enrolled, and of these 48 completed one or more assessments at 2-, 4- or 16-weeks follow-up. weeks. High rates of participant satisfaction were observed among 30 participants who completed the satisfaction questionnaire. Qualitative comments suggested participants valued the daily email reminders, practical techniques and accessible content but some participants found the intervention too short or generic. Linear mixed-effects models examining within-group changes found significant reductions in depression (<em>d</em> = 0.80) and anxiety (<em>d</em> = 0.65) from pre- to post-intervention, with effects maintained at follow-up. Participation in the intervention was significantly associated with increased engagement in adaptive behaviors (<em>d</em> = 0.61), which, in turn, was linked to greater symptom improvement. Preliminary findings support the feasibility, acceptability and potential effectiveness of the TYD intervention as an accessible, ultra-brief unguided online intervention for anxiety and depression that may be valuable for some individuals seeking services from an online mental health clinic. Future research should explore its efficacy compared to control conditions among diverse populations and tailoring of content to participants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100852"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144480930","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Developing a digital psychosocial support program for men with low-risk prostate cancer during active surveillance","authors":"Kim Donachie ,&nbsp;Michel Hansma ,&nbsp;Marian Adriaansen ,&nbsp;Erik Cornel ,&nbsp;Esther Bakker ,&nbsp;Lilian Lechner","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100853","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100853","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Active surveillance (AS) is a preferred treatment for men with low- to intermediate-risk prostate cancer, but its psychosocial impact presents challenges. This study used design thinking to develop a digital psychosocial support program aimed at improving quality of life and health outcomes for men on AS.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The design process followed five phases: Empathy, Define, Ideate, Prototype, and Test. Stakeholder interviews were conducted to generate a problem statement. Brainstorming in the ideation phase conceptualized a self-management application and a framework of the application's features was developed. A prototype was developed in close collaboration with end-users and experts. The testing phase included heuristic evaluations and feedback from patients and healthcare providers.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Interviews during the empathy phase highlighted the need for personalized care, timely information, and holistic and tailored support. The defined problem statement aimed at reducing the psychosocial burden and improving coping mechanisms during the first year of AS. Ideation involved multidisciplinary brainstorming sessions, resulting in the concept of a self-management application with features such as information, appointment preparation, self-reporting of medical results, lifestyle guidance, relaxation exercises, and communication tools. A prototype application was developed. Testing showed strengths in navigation and design, with recommendations for improving error handling and help documentation. Feedback led to refinements enhancing usability and clinical integration.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>This study developed a patient-centered self-management application to address psychosocial challenges in AS. By fostering engagement, self-efficacy, and communication, the tool aims to improve outcomes in prostate cancer management. Future clinical studies will evaluate its effectiveness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100853"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144514299","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sine of the times: Can sinusoidal waves model changes in the therapeutic alliance over time?","authors":"Jonathan G. Shalom ,&nbsp;Maya Korem ,&nbsp;Asher Y. Strauss ,&nbsp;Jonathan D. Huppert ,&nbsp;Gerhard Andersson ,&nbsp;Idan M. Aderka","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100845","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100845","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The present study examined the association between the therapeutic alliance and social anxiety symptoms during internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (ICBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD). We examined 162 individuals diagnosed with SAD who underwent therapist-assisted ICBT and completed measures of the therapeutic alliance weekly during a randomized controlled trial. We used a novel modeling strategy and modeled changes in the therapeutic alliance over time using sinusoidal models. We found that a model that incorporated both a linear component and a sinusoidal component (<em>r</em>² = 0.72), explained significantly more variance than models using only linear (<em>r</em>² = 0.42) or only sinusoidal (<em>r</em>² = 0.41) components. We also found that higher average levels of the alliance as well as greater increases in the therapeutic alliance during treatment were associated with greater reductions in social anxiety during treatment. Finally, we found that greater fluctuations around the slope of alliance were associated with greater reductions in social anxiety during treatment (above and beyond average alliance and increases in alliance). Considering fluctuations around a linear slope may be a useful model for the ups and downs experienced in the therapeutic alliance over the course of therapy. Fluctuations in alliance may not be a sign of negative processes, but could potentially indicate a healthy ebb and flow of the alliance that is predictive of better outcomes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100845"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365286","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Applying a mobile intervention for chronic insomnia in routine care: Study protocol for a multicenter randomized controlled trial","authors":"Daa Un Moon ,&nbsp;Jeonghun Kim ,&nbsp;Jeyoung Hannah Sun ,&nbsp;Yujin Lee","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100848","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100848","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is the first-line treatment for chronic insomnia. However, access to in-person CBT-I remains limited due to a shortage of trained providers and structural barriers. Digital CBT-I (dCBT-I) offers a scalable solution to bridge this treatment gap, yet real-world evidence of its effectiveness remains limited. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of a mobile dCBT-I intervention, “SleepQ,” in a routine clinical setting. This study is a multicenter, two-arm, open-label, randomized controlled trial comparing a mobile dCBT-I intervention to a waitlist control group. A total of 120 adults with chronic insomnia will be recruited from six clinics in South Korea. Participants will be randomly assigned (1:1) to either the intervention group receiving 6 weeks of dCBT-I or the control group, which will gain access to the intervention after the posttreatment assessment. The primary outcome is the Insomnia Severity Index score change from baseline to 6 weeks post-randomization. Secondary outcomes include dysfunctional sleep beliefs, daytime sleepiness, depressive and anxiety symptoms, quality of life, and work productivity. Exploratory outcomes include adherence, usability, app satisfaction, and sleep parameters from the integrated sleep diary. In the intervention group, follow-up assessments will be conducted 3- and 6-months post-randomization to evaluate long-term effects. This trial will evaluate the effectiveness of mobile dCBT-I for chronic insomnia within routine clinical care. Findings will contribute to the evaluation of the clinical implementation of digital therapeutics for insomnia and inform the integration of mobile-based CBT-I into routine care.</div></div><div><h3>Clinical trial registration</h3><div><span><span>https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06695000</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>, <span><span>ClinicalTrials.gov</span><svg><path></path></svg></span> (<span><span>NCT06695000</span><svg><path></path></svg></span>).</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100848"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144364861","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"“Who blends in and why (not)?” A qualitative study on psychotherapists' patient inclusion in blended care","authors":"Sophie Jordan ,&nbsp;Pauline Becker ,&nbsp;Solveig Behr ,&nbsp;Friederike Fenski ,&nbsp;Christine Knaevelsrud ,&nbsp;Johanna Boettcher ,&nbsp;Carmen Schaeuffele","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100847","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100847","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>Psychotherapists may act as bottlenecks in the integration of digital interventions into psychotherapy, known as blended care (BC). In the literature, various factors are discussed as potential inclusion, exclusion, or limiting criteria in BC.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Our aim for this interview study was to gain a deeper understanding of the factors psychotherapists consider when inviting patients to participate in BC. For this purpose, we interviewed seven psychotherapists with a psychodynamic and seven psychotherapists with a cognitive behavioral background who participated in a naturalistic trial on BC in routine outpatient psychotherapy.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Psychotherapists considered few fixed inclusion or exclusion criteria when considering which patients to introduce BC to. The basic technical requirements had to be met and the patients had to be “fit for outpatient therapy”. Psychotherapists found patients' response to BC, like their motivation, to be a decisive factor when considering BC.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>Psychotherapists emphasized patient motivation for BC as a potential bottleneck in its implementation. Therefore, a successful implementation strategy should focus on strengthening both psychotherapists' and patients' motivation to engage with BC. The openness of psychotherapists towards patient characteristics suggests that BC in outpatient care may target a broad patient population.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100847"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144329627","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evidence-based digital health interventions for breast cancer survivors' care: an umbrella review","authors":"Alba Jiménez-Díaz ,&nbsp;Tamara Escrivá-Martínez ,&nbsp;Rocío Herrero ,&nbsp;Rosa Baños","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100846","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100846","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Introduction</h3><div>As breast cancer survival rates continue to rise, the number of breast cancer survivors (BCS) requiring supportive care is increasing, placing additional strain on healthcare systems facing resource shortages. In response, digital health is rapidly evolving, and research on eHealth interventions is expanding significantly. Therefore, we conducted an umbrella review to summarize the evidence on digital health interventions aimed at improving health-related outcomes for BCS.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>The protocol was preregistered in PROSPERO (CDR42022341837). The Preferred Reporting Items for Overviews of Reviews (PRIOR) were followed. Five databases were searched (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, Cochrane Reviews, IEEE Xplore) in July 2022 and updated in April 2024. Systematic reviews and/or meta-analyses examining digital health interventions targeting BCS health-related outcomes were included. Two reviewers independently selected reviews, extracted data, and assessed the quality of the included reviews through AMSTAR-2.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Seventeen systematic reviews met the inclusion criteria, and ninety-two original studies on digital health interventions for BCS were identified across them. Overall, digital health interventions seem to improve physical activity outcomes, although effects on quality of life and psychological outcomes are less clear. The quality of most systematic reviews was low, and conclusion should be interpreted with caution.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Digital health interventions show some potential in improving health-related outcomes for BCS. However, more robust, theory-driven, and outcome-specific studies are needed to clarify the potential effects of these interventions on the unique needs of specific cancer populations.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100846"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144365285","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review on personalization of treatment components in IBIs for mental disorders","authors":"Carmen Schaeuffele ,&nbsp;Pavle Zagorscak ,&nbsp;Vladlena Langerwisch ,&nbsp;Johanna Wilke ,&nbsp;Yana Medvedeva ,&nbsp;Christine Knaevelsrud","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100840","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100840","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Internet-based interventions (IBIs) offer the potential for personalization through various mechanisms and components.</div></div><div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This systematic review aimed to synthesize evidence on the personalization of treatment components within IBIs targeting diverse mental health conditions. Specifically, we focused on studies that directly compared personalized components to standardized ones to isolate the impact of personalization on mental health outcomes and treatment adherence.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Thirteen studies were identified that compared personalized to non-personalized components, with the personalization of IBI content and personalized guidance investigated the most. Apart from one study that personalized more than one IBI component, studies did not find a significant positive effect of personalization on mental health outcomes. Two studies reported better adherence for human feedback personalized to user input than for the automated non-personalized guidance.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>The results reveal a gap between the theoretical potential of personalization in IBIs and the current evidence supporting its impact on outcomes and adherence. The diversity in personalization strategies across studies complicates the ability to draw definitive conclusions. To address this, more detailed descriptions of how personalization is both implemented and communicated to patients are recommended.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100840"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144279417","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Intervention effects and mechanisms of online single session therapy on test anxiety in university students: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Liying Chen ,&nbsp;Jiani Yan ,&nbsp;Low Teck Keong ,&nbsp;Ya Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100839","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100839","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study aimed to develop an online Single-Session Therapy (SST) intervention program for test anxiety and explore the intervention effects and mechanisms underlying the effectiveness of this SST program for university students experiencing test anxiety, utilizing a randomized controlled trial.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>Sixteen psychological counselors and 57 university students with test anxiety were recruited through online platforms. The student participants were randomly assigned to either the online SST intervention group or the control group. Both groups completed scale assessments on the day before the intervention, the day of the intervention, and on days 4, 7, and 10 after the intervention.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Online SST effectively alleviated college students' test anxiety. In addition, SST also increased students' self-compassion levels, and self-compassion mediated the relationship between SST and test anxiety; meanwhile, counseling style preference matching significantly increased students' self-compassion levels, but did not positively affect their test anxiety levels.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The online SST intervention targeting test anxiety effectively improves self-compassion and reduces test anxiety among university students. However, further research is needed to compare the advantages of SST with conventional counseling programs and to explore the mechanisms underlying counseling style preference matching.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100839"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144262875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of Powerly, unguided mobile app intervention preventing postpartum depression and anxiety & study protocol of randomized clinical trial","authors":"Marta A. Marciniak ,&nbsp;Judith Rohde ,&nbsp;Kenneth S.L. Yuen ,&nbsp;Harald Binder ,&nbsp;Henrik Walter ,&nbsp;Matthias J. Wieser ,&nbsp;Raffael Kalisch ,&nbsp;Karin Roelofs ,&nbsp;Birgit Kleim","doi":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100843","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.invent.2025.100843","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Up to 30 % of pregnant individuals experience high levels of stress. At the same time, 15–20 % of new mothers develop postpartum depression, and 25–35 % experience postpartum anxiety. Mobile applications have the potential to provide an accessible, scalable solution to these mental health challenges. However, previous evidence indicates that none of the commercially available apps for perinatal depression and anxiety have been rigorously evaluated through randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and the quality of these apps remains moderate. In response to this gap, we aim to develop and empirically evaluate Powerly, a mobile app intervention designed to prevent postpartum depression and anxiety.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We will conduct a two-arm RCT with 140 healthy pregnant participants to assess the impact of Powerly use compared to care as usual (CAU). Powerly is based on cognitive behavioral therapy techniques and developed in consultation with stakeholders, including healthcare professionals and pregnant individuals. It will offer personalized psychological support tailored to users' needs for four weeks. Self-reported mental health assessments will be collected at baseline, after four weeks of app use, and six weeks postpartum.</div></div><div><h3>Discussion</h3><div>We anticipate that participants using Powerly will demonstrate significant improvements in mental health outcomes, including reduced rates of postpartum depression, compared to the CAU group. Additionally, we expect positive changes in emotion regulation, resilience, and mother and child outcomes, such as enhanced maternal bonding and a more positive birth experience. If proved effective, Powerly can offer a scalable, publicly accessible solution for pregnant individuals in need.</div></div><div><h3>Trial registration</h3><div><span><span>NCT06610552</span><svg><path></path></svg></span></div></div>","PeriodicalId":48615,"journal":{"name":"Internet Interventions-The Application of Information Technology in Mental and Behavioural Health","volume":"41 ","pages":"Article 100843"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2025-06-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144298057","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}