Mobile Intervention for Schizophrenia

Overseen By Lauren Luther

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

Disqualifiers: Recent treatment changes

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 6 weeks

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores a new mobile app called Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking, which aims to help people with schizophrenia by addressing biased thinking patterns. The goal is to determine if this digital tool can effectively improve thinking and reduce symptoms. It is designed for individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia or those at high risk for developing psychosis, which affects thoughts and perceptions. Participants should not have experienced recent changes in their mental health treatment. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to innovative research that could enhance mental health care.

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

The trial information does not specify if you need to stop your current medications. However, recent changes in mental health treatment may exclude you from participating.

What prior data suggests that this mobile intervention is safe for targeting biased thinking?

Research has shown that mobile tools for addressing biased thinking in schizophrenia are generally well-received. One study found that 25 patients viewed the mobile program positively, reporting high satisfaction and continued use over time.

Digital tools like these can help monitor and manage mental health. Another review found that these tools maintain the effectiveness of psychosocial treatments, ensuring they work well over time.

Overall, safety data indicates that patients handle these mobile tools well. No major reports of adverse side effects have emerged, suggesting a safe option based on current evidence. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the mobile intervention for schizophrenia because it represents a novel approach to treatment by directly targeting biased thinking patterns. Unlike traditional treatments that primarily rely on medication to manage symptoms, this intervention uses a mobile platform to deliver cognitive behavioral techniques, aiming to address the cognitive distortions associated with schizophrenia. This innovative method not only provides a more personalized experience but also offers the convenience of accessibility, allowing patients to engage with the treatment anytime and anywhere.

What evidence suggests that this mobile intervention is effective for schizophrenia?

Research has shown that mobile apps can assist people with schizophrenia by offering regular support and enhancing mental health. Studies have found that these digital tools can prevent relapses, help patients adhere to their treatment plans, and manage some symptoms. For example, one study found that a smartphone program designed to help people reflect on their thinking reduced symptoms like delusions. In this trial, participants will receive a Mobile Intervention to Target Biased Thinking, which aims to address certain thought patterns and may effectively manage schizophrenia symptoms. ^{5 6 7 8 9}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for individuals with schizophrenia or related psychotic disorders, as well as those at high risk for psychosis based on symptom interviews. It's not suitable for people who've had recent changes in mental health treatment within the last month, or two months if they're on depot medication.

Inclusion Criteria

Diagnosis of schizophrenia or related psychotic disorder

Identified as being at clinical high risk for psychosis in symptom interviews

Exclusion Criteria

Recent changes in mental health treatment in past month

My mental health treatment hasn't changed in the last 2 months.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive a brief mobile intervention targeting biased thinking

6 weeks

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in defeatist beliefs and negative symptoms after the intervention

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Mobile Intervention for Biased Thinking

Trial Overview The study is examining a brief mobile intervention designed to address biased thinking patterns in participants with schizophrenia. The goal is to assess how effective this mobile tool can be in improving cognitive processes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Mobile Intervention to Target Biased Thinking Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,677

Recruited

2,458,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The mobile-assisted cognitive behavioral therapy for negative symptoms (mCBTn) was tested in a preliminary trial with 31 participants suffering from schizophrenia, showing excellent retention (87% at 18 weeks) and significant reductions in defeatist attitudes and experiential negative symptoms.

The results indicate that mCBTn is a feasible and potentially effective intervention for addressing negative symptoms in schizophrenia, supporting the defeatist attitude model and suggesting that technology-enhanced therapies can improve traditional psychosocial treatments.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile-Assisted Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Negative Symptoms: Open Single-Arm Trial With Schizophrenia Patients. Granholm, E., Holden, J., Dwyer, K., et al.[2020]

The study found that using a smartphone app for monitoring symptoms and cognitive functions in people with schizophrenia is feasible and acceptable in both India and the United States, suggesting its potential for global use.

Preliminary results indicate that app-based assessments may correlate with traditional clinical and cognitive evaluations, highlighting the app's promise for real-time monitoring, although further research is needed to confirm its long-term effectiveness.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Smartphone digital phenotyping, surveys, and cognitive assessments for global mental health: Initial data and clinical correlations from an international first episode psychosis study. Lakhtakia, T., Bondre, A., Chand, PK., et al.[2022]

Mobile Health interventions (m-Health) for patients with psychosis are feasible and user-friendly, showing promise in improving treatment adherence and reducing hospital admissions.

These interventions effectively monitor the evolution of psychotic symptoms, although the lack of standardized methodologies across studies makes it challenging to determine which specific strategies are most effective.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Use of mobile technologies in patients with psychosis: A systematic review. Bonet, L., Izquierdo, C., Escartí, MJ., et al.[2018]

The Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS) program, which used text messaging over 12 weeks, significantly improved medication adherence and social interactions, particularly for individuals living independently.

Participants also experienced a notable reduction in the severity of auditory hallucinations, indicating that low-intensity interventions like MATS can effectively enhance outcomes for higher functioning individuals with schizophrenia.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Mobile Assessment and Treatment for Schizophrenia (MATS): a pilot trial of an interactive text-messaging intervention for medication adherence, socialization, and auditory hallucinations. Granholm, E., Ben-Zeev, D., Link, PC., et al.[2022]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11898269/

A Systematic Review on Digitally-Delivered Interventions - PMC Results showed that digitally-delivered interventions have a positive effect in ensuring the continuity and maintenance of the effectiveness of psychosocial ...

2. humanfactors.jmir.org humanfactors.jmir.org/2025/1/e67659/

Mobile Therapeutic Attention for Treatment-Resistant ... Mobile health (mHealth) interventions may be effective in preventing relapses, increasing treatment adherence, and managing some of the symptoms ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6510170/

Mobile Intervention for Individuals With Psychosis, Dual ... Early intervention for relapse in schizophrenia: results of a 12-month randomized controlled trial of cognitive behavioural therapy. Psychol Med (2003) 33(3): ...

4. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0883941722000826

Effectiveness of a Metacognitive Intervention for ... This study investigated the effectiveness of a metacognitive intervention program for symptom relief and improvement in social cognitive functioning among ...

5. journals.healio.com journals.healio.com/doi/10.3928/02793695-20220706-01

Effects of a Metacognitive Smartphone Intervention With ... A metacognitive program for individuals with schizophrenia has been found to significantly decrease psychotic symptoms, such as delusions and ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9376801/

Digital smartphone intervention to recognise and manage ... A study to investigate the effectiveness of a system to recognise and respond to early warning signs of relapse in schizophrenia is possible.

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920996425002488

Ecological and momentary assessment and intervention for ... Wearable devices and other digital tools can help those providing psychiatric care to evaluate and monitor patients (Harvey et al., 2022b), while helping ...

8. mdpi.com mdpi.com/resolver?pii=ijerph182312391

Feasibility of an Intervention Delivered via Mobile Phone ... The data of 25 randomized patients suggest overall positive attitudes towards the program, high user satisfaction and good adherence to the monitoring module.

9. jmir.org jmir.org/2022/10/e40292/

Randomized Controlled Assessor-Blinded Trial This trial showed a significant effect of a digital SDM tool on the subjective level of patient activation, confidence in communicating with one's provider, ...