MBPS App for Anxiety and Depression

Overseen By Delta-Marie Lewis, BA

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Dimagi Inc.

Disqualifiers: Unable to participate in virtual meetings

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 3

55 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests a digital app called the MBPS App, which aims to boost community health workers' confidence in providing therapy for anxiety and depression. The app supports these workers by rating and reviewing therapy sessions in practice scenarios. The goal is to determine if the app can enhance the quality of counseling they offer. Individuals who have completed the EMPOWER Behavioral Activation training and speak English may be suitable for this trial. As an unphased study, this trial provides a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could improve mental health support in communities.

Do I need to stop my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What prior data suggests that the MBPS App is safe for use by non-specialist providers?

Research shows that mental health apps, like the MBPS App, can reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety. Studies have found that these apps can make a real difference, even if the effects are sometimes small.

Regarding safety, apps are generally easy to use as digital tools, not medications. They lack the side effects that some drugs might have. Although specific data on negative effects from the MBPS App is unavailable, other mental health apps have been safely used by many people.

While researchers continue to study this app, digital mental health tools are considered safe for most people. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The MBPS App is unique because it uses technology to enhance peer supervision among therapists treating anxiety and depression. Unlike traditional therapies that rely heavily on in-person supervision and feedback, this app allows non-specialist providers to rate and review therapy sessions with standardized patients in a virtual setting. Researchers are excited about this approach because it offers a scalable and accessible way to improve therapy quality, potentially reaching more patients and ensuring consistent treatment standards.

What evidence suggests that the MBPS App is effective for anxiety and depression?

Research shows that mindfulness apps can slightly reduce anxiety and depression symptoms. Studies have found that using these apps can lead to a small to moderate decrease in stress for adults. For example, the Feel Stress Free app lowered anxiety and depression symptoms after just six weeks of use. Another study found a significant drop in anxiety symptoms in young people after using an app for six weeks. These results suggest that digital tools like the MBPS App, which participants in this trial will use, could help manage anxiety and depression by assisting non-specialist providers in offering effective therapy. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Yun Xian Ho, PhD

Principal Investigator

Dimagi Inc.

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for non-specialist providers like community health workers who will use the MBPS App to deliver therapy to individuals with anxiety and/or depression. The goal is to see if this digital tool can boost their confidence and effectiveness in counseling.

Inclusion Criteria

I am 18 years old or older.

I have completed EMPOWER Behavioral Activation training.

I speak English.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Platform Enhancement

Build an enhanced version of the digital platform based on Phase I feedback and direct input from NSPs

Not specified

Evaluation

Conduct a mixed methods evaluation of digitally-enabled MBPS with NSPs engaging in mock sessions with standardized patients

12 weeks

3 sessions (in-person or virtual)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• MBPS App

Trial Overview The MBPS App, a digital solution aimed at training and supporting non-specialist providers, is being tested for its efficacy in aiding the delivery of therapy for anxiety and depression.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: MBPS App Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Study participants (i.e., non-specialist providers) will use a web application to support measurement-based peer supervision (MBPS) activities (e.g., rating and reviewing therapy sessions) performed with standardized patients in mock scenarios

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Dimagi Inc.

Lead Sponsor

Trials

10

Recruited

9,300+

National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

Collaborator

Trials

3,007

Recruited

2,852,000+

Baylor Scott and White Health

Collaborator

Trials

18

Recruited

61,200+

Harvard Medical School (HMS and HSDM)

Collaborator

Trials

208

Recruited

1,421,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10872959/

An updated meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials Findings overall suggest that stand-alone mindfulness apps may have small but positive effect on improving symptoms of depression and anxiety relative to ...

2. nature.com nature.com/articles/s44220-023-00081-5

Systematic review and individual participant data meta- ... Our IPD meta-analysis found evidence that MBPs generate, on average, a small to moderate reduction in adults' psychological distress, lasting ...

3. 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 examine the existing evidence on the effectiveness of app-based mHealth interventions for anxiety and ...

4. mhealth.jmir.org mhealth.jmir.org/2020/7/e15418/

Effectiveness of a Mobile App Intervention for Anxiety and ... We found preliminary evidence that the Feel Stress Free app reduced depression and anxiety symptoms after 6 weeks. At secondary time points, we ...

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. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10785982/

Current evidence on the efficacy of mental health ... We conclude that apps have overall small but significant effects on symptoms of depression and generalized anxiety.

7. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41746-021-00386-8

Smartphone apps for depression and anxiety: a systematic ... Meta-analyses have shown that digital mental health apps can be efficacious in reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety.

8. npjournal.org npjournal.org/article/S1555-4155(25)00031-5/fulltext

Increasing Provider Utilization of Apps for Anxiety and ... Use of mobile phone applications (apps) may reduce the delay between symptom onset and treatment delivery for the 1 in 5 US adults affected by mental illness.

9. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0277953622001083

Mental health monitoring apps for depression and anxiety ... The purpose of this scoping review is to outline the extent of the clinical evidence base of mental health apps with monitoring functions for depression and ...

10. humanfactors.jmir.org humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e64867/

Provider Perspectives on the Use of Mental Health Apps, and ... To our knowledge, BritePath is the first smartphone-based safety planning app to be tested in clinical trials involving adolescents with severe ...