Catalina App for Anxiety and Depression

Overseen By Study Coordinator

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Los Angeles

Disqualifiers: Not Latina, Under 18, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

700 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial investigates whether a storytelling app featuring Latina characters can more effectively encourage mental health treatment for anxiety and depression than standard informational videos. Participants will use either the interactive Catalina app, which includes story-based videos and resources, or a basic app with video links and mental health resources. The trial aims to determine if a more engaging, character-driven approach helps Latinas initiate treatment. It seeks Latinas living in LA or Orange County who have moderate anxiety or depression and haven't received mental health services in the past six months. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative mental health solutions tailored for the Latina community.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial requires that participants are not currently receiving mental health therapy or taking medications for mental health. If you are on such medications, you would need to stop them to join the study.

What prior data suggests that the Catalina app is safe for use in mental health treatment?

Research shows that the Catalina app, designed to support mental health, is under study to assess its effectiveness and potential side effects. So far, no evidence indicates harmful effects from using the app. It serves as a digital tool aimed at helping with anxiety and depression, particularly for Latina women.

This study is not a typical clinical trial and primarily focuses on gathering information rather than testing for side effects. While the app's effectiveness and safety are under review, earlier use has not reported major side effects.

The app employs storytelling and resources to support mental health, and previous studies have shown that users generally appreciate it. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Catalina app because it offers a fresh, interactive approach to managing anxiety and depression, especially tailored for the Latina community. Unlike traditional therapies that might rely on medication or in-person counseling sessions, Catalina provides an engaging story-based experience accessible 24/7 in both Spanish and English. Through relatable characters and narrative-driven videos, it aims to connect with users on a personal level, making the journey through mental health challenges more relatable and less isolating. Additionally, the app includes practical resources and monthly reminders, empowering users to take proactive steps in managing their mental health.

What evidence suggests that the Catalina app is effective for anxiety and depression?

Research shows that apps can help reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. A review of many studies found that these apps work as well as traditional treatments for these issues. One study showed that using an app for six weeks significantly reduced anxiety symptoms. Users also report high satisfaction with these apps, indicating they find them helpful. In this trial, participants will either use the Catalina app, which employs stories and characters to engage users, or access a control app with informational videos. The Catalina app builds on these positive findings by providing an interactive, story-based experience. ^{3 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

MarySue V. Heilemann, PhD,RN,FAAN

Principal Investigator

UCLA School of Nursing

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Latina women aged 18 or older living in LA or Orange County who are experiencing moderate anxiety or depression, as indicated by specific scores on mental health assessments. Participants must be able to understand English or Spanish and have internet access but should not currently be receiving any mental health treatment.

Inclusion Criteria

I live in LA or Orange County.

I can access the internet with a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

I haven't used mental health services in the last 6 months.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Intervention

Participants access a choice-driven, interactive, storytelling web-based app or a control app with informational videos for mental health treatment initiation

9 months

Monthly text/email reminders

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for mental health treatment initiation and changes in mental health attitudes and symptoms

9 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Catalina

Trial Overview The study is testing a web-based app called Catalina that uses storytelling and character-driven content with resources and treatment recommendations against a control webpage offering informational videos and mental health resources. The goal is to see if the story approach better encourages Latinas to seek mental health treatment.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Catalina transmedia web-based app Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Access to Confronting My Emotions/ Enfrentando Mis Emociones (Catalina), an interactive web-based app containing 31 minutes of story based, character-driven videos, featuring evidence-informed Latina characters (Catalina and Veronica) in a relatable story about dealing with depression and anxiety. All features are available 24 hours/day in Spanish and English via a participant's unique link, including access to "Veronica's Blog" linked to the story, and links to resources such as infographics on depression and anxiety, hotlines and helplines, free evidence-based apps, online support groups, SAMHSA's MH service locator plus "Veronica's" recommendation of up to 3 Latinx-serving MH Tx clinics in LA \& Orange Counties where participants can see a primary care physician for referral to MH therapy or pharmacotherapy. Monthly text/email messages will be sent for 9 months to prompt/remind Latinas they can use their unique link to re-watch videos and re-visit Veronica's blog.

Group II: Links to informational videos Active Control 1 Intervention

Access to the control web-based app that offers links to 31 minutes of publicly available informational videos specifically about depression and anxiety in Spanish and English (that are not story based and feature no fictionalized characters), available 24 hours/ day via participant's unique link on Chorus. It will provides direct links to 3 public websites: 1) Mental Health America, 2) Anxiety \& Depression Association of America, 3) SAMHSA. All offer even more links to various MH resources, platforms, videos, and to SAMHSA's MH service locator by ZIP Code including to low cost sites for MH Tx.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Los Angeles

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,594

Recruited

10,430,000+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

Citations

1. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-anxiety-3-2025-f2a5c

Catalina App for Anxiety and Depression This N/A medical study run by University of California, Los Angeles is evaluating whether Catalina will have tolerable side effects & efficacy for patients ...

2. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9494214/

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis - PMC - PubMed Central We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the dose effectiveness of app-based mHealth interventions for anxiety and depression symptom ...

3. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-025-01860-3

Transdiagnostic-focused apps for depression and anxiety Significant effects were found at follow-up (g = 0.25; 95% CI = 0.10, 0.41). Effects were comparable to disorder-specific app estimates.

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11443057/

Evaluating a mobile app's effects on depression and ... The average satisfaction with the app was 3.86 stars (median = 4, SD = 1.08) and the average rating regarding the app's ability to help reduce ...

5. jamanetwork.com jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822451

Efficacy of a Mobile App-Based Intervention for Young ... However, after 6 weeks of use of the app, there was a clinically and statistically significant decrease in anxiety symptoms across conditions.

6. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06874790

RCT for Latina Mental Health Using Web-Based Apps This study compares a choice-driven, interactive, evidence-informed storytelling web-based app intervention with links to resources and treatment (Tx) ...

7. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7840278/

Participant Engagement in a Transmedia Storytelling Web- ... An evidence-based, transmedia storytelling web-based app for mental health called Catalina: Confronting My Emotions to connect Latina women to a curated set of ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0165032725005373

Exploring digital health tools for depression management ... The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of digital health tools for the management of depression within primary care.

9. mhealth.jmir.org mhealth.jmir.org/2021/5/e27039

A Mobile Phone–Based Intervention to Reduce Mental Health ... The aim of this trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of a psychoeducational, mindfulness-based mHealth intervention to reduce mental health problems in ...