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Using science to sell apps: Evaluation of mental health app store quality claims
Open accessAbstract
Despite the emergence of curated app libraries for mental health apps, personal searches by consumers remain a common method for discovering apps. App store descriptions therefore represent a key channel to inform consumer choice. This study examined the claims invoked through these app store descriptions, the extent to which scientific language is used to support such claims, and the corresponding evidence in the literature. Google Play and iTunes were searched for apps related to depression, self-harm, substance use, anxiety, and schizophrenia. The descriptions of the top-ranking, consumer-focused apps were coded to identify claims of acceptability and effectiveness, and forms of supporting statement. For apps which invoked ostensibly scientific principles, a literature search was conducted to assess their credibility. Seventy-three apps were coded, and the majority (64%) claimed effectiveness at diagnosing a mental health condition, or improving symptoms, mood or self-management. Scientific language was most frequently used to support these effectiveness claims (44%), although this included techniques not validated by literature searches (8/24 = 33%). Two apps described low-quality, primary evidence to support the use of the app. Only one app included a citation to published literature. A minority of apps (14%) described design or development involving lived experience, and none referenced certification or accreditation processes such as app libraries. Scientific language was the most frequently invoked form of support for use of mental health apps; however, high-quality evidence is not commonly described. Improved knowledge translation strategies may improve the adoption of other strategies, such as certification or lived experience co-design.
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“Other reviews have evaluated mental health apps more broadly, concluding that the quality of evidence supporting their efficacy is insufficient (Larsen et al. 2019; Wisniewski et al. 2019)”
From Evaluating the quality, safety, and functionality of commonly used smartphone apps for bipolar disorder mood and sleep self-management (2022) · cites this paper as Larsen et al. 2019
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“Whilst reviews of the broader BD app landscape report very low incidence of scientific evidence for available apps (Larsen et al. 2019), 55% of the apps most commonly used by individuals with BD have published evidence (albeit, with the limitations discussed above).”
From Evaluating the quality, safety, and functionality of commonly used smartphone apps for bipolar disorder mood and sleep self-management (2022) · cites this paper as Larsen et al. 2019
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“As a result, numerous efforts have been made to evaluate commercially available apps and create app repositories with standard reporting, and at least 45 frameworks have been developed to assist consumers in identifying the most effective and appropriate apps [24-26].”
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“A review of claims made by mental health apps revealed that over one-third of app descriptions that referred to scientific methods included in-app techniques unsupported by evidence, such as dream therapy for schizophrenia or binaural beats for depression.(15) Additionally, real-world data supporting the use of mental…”
BackgroundRethinking technology innovation for mental health: framework for multi-sectoral collaboration
Suh, J., Pendse, S. R., Lewis, R., Howe, E., Saha, K., Okoli, E., Amores, J., Ramos, G., Shen, J., Borghouts, J., et al. (2024) · Nature Mental Health · doi:10.1038/s44220-024-00232-2 · Cited by 8
“More robust validation of these solutions is needed, especially in the current evolving consumer technology landscape 42 , using high-quality, evidence-based approaches, which are also frequently used to advertise such apps to users 43 .”
Guracho, Y. D., Thomas, S. J., Almutairi, N., & Win, K. T. (2025) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2025.2481639 · Cited by 10
“The most preferred features of mental health apps include symptom-tracking, psy-choeducational components (Magee et al. 2018), self-assessment (Larsen et al. 2019), stress management techniques (breathing exercises, mindfulness), meditation, profiling, (Islam and Choudhury 2020), daily mood tracker…”
Mucić, D., Shore, J. H., Hilty, D. M., Krysta, K., & Krzystanek, M. (2021) · Current Psychiatry Reports · doi:10.1007/s11920-021-01300-5 · Cited by 8
Zeng, Z., Peng, J., Liu, L., & Gong, W. (2023) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/42777 · Cited by 7
“Previous studies showed that platforms available in the marketplace often lack quality evidence [10,11].”
Manning, J. B., BLANDFORD, A. E., & Edbrooke-Childs, J. H. (2021) · JMIR Formative Research · doi:10.2196/32312 · Cited by 10
“However, a study of 73 popular mental and emotional health apps found that although 44% used such language, only 2 apps provided direct scientific evidence associated with app use [9].”
BackgroundSocial Media is Addictive and Influences Behavior: Should it Be Regulated as a Digital Therapeutic?
Perakslis, E. D., & Quintana, Y. (2022) · Journal of Medical Internet Research · doi:10.2196/43174 · Cited by 7
“Websites are also emerging with words such as “accredited reviews,” but no accredited medical societies are involved in those reviews [22,23].”
Mental Health Apps for Children and Adolescents: A Clinician-Friendly Review
Schueller, S. M., Wasil, A. R., Bunyi, J., DeRubeis, R. J., & Weisz, J. R. (2023) · Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry · doi:10.1016/j.jaac.2023.07.1004 · Cited by 7
Teague, S. J., Shatte, A. B. R., Fuller‐Tyszkiewicz, M., & Hutchinson, D. M. (2025) · Behaviour and Information Technology · doi:10.1080/0144929x.2025.2502474 · Cited by 8
“…app likely re fl ect the widespread prevalence of mHealth apps sharing data with third parties for commercial advertising purposes, and use of misleading information in app store descriptions around the validity of the app content and privacy practices (Huckvale et al. 2020; Larsen et al. 2019).”
A Gamified AI-Driven System for Depression Monitoring and Management
Zamani, S., Rostami, A., Nguyen, M., Sinha, R., & Madanian, S. (2025) · Applied Sciences · doi:10.3390/app15137088 · Cited by 7
The impact of digital health technologies on women’s health nursing: opportunities and challenges
Nho, J. (2025) · Women s Health Nursing · doi:10.4069/whn.2025.06.05 · Cited by 13
“A relevant study indicates that health applications may mislead consumers by promoting claims without scientific backing or by presenting unproven technologies through scientific-sounding language [8].”
Herpertz, J., Dwyer, B., Wagner, E. S., Mikkelson, J., Opel, N., & Torous, J. B. (2025) · Internet Interventions · doi:10.1016/j.invent.2025.100888 · Cited by 6
Self-citationExplorando o uso de aplicativos móveis para autogestão do tratamento em saúde mental: scoping review
Nóbrega, M. D. P. S. D. S., Tibúrcio, P. D. C., Fernandes, M. C., Fernandes, C. S., Santos, C., & Magalhães, B. M. B. D. S. (2021) · Revista de Enfermagem da UFSM · doi:10.5902/2179769264393 · Cited by 10
Applications mobiles pour soutenir la santé mentale des jeunes : opportunités et défis
Ouellet‐Morin, I., Robitaille, M.-P., & Juster, R. (2021) · Santé mentale au Québec · doi:10.7202/1081508ar · Cited by 6
Turan, N., & Çetintaş, Ş. (2021) · Journal of Evidence-Based Psychotherapies · doi:10.24193/jebp.2021.2.11 · Cited by 6
Strauss, J., Zhang, J., Jarrett, M. L., Patterson, B. A., & Ameringen, M. V. (2021) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-822201-0.00006-x · Cited by 8
A Study on How Users Choose Apps
Alhejaili, A., & Blustein, J. (2022) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-05412-9_1 · Cited by 7
Henning, C., Wolstein, J. R., Boehlke, E., Fischer, U. C., Liel, C., Lux, U., Opitz, A., Seiferth, C., van Poppel, M. N. M., Vogel, L., et al. (2023) · Open Research Europe · doi:10.12688/openreseurope.16446.1 · Cited by 6
Diagnostic applications and benefits of virtual reality for sexual aversion
Lafortune, D. (2024) · The Journal of Sexual Medicine · doi:10.1093/jsxmed/qdad157 · Cited by 6
Buss, J., Lorenzo‐Luaces, L., Banks, G., Horani, D., Rutter, L. A., & Wasil, A. R. (2020) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/2jwgd · Cited by 6
Nutrition-Related Mobile Apps in the Spanish App Stores: Quality and Content Analysis
Fernandez-Lázaro, C., Santamaría, G., Milano, A. F., Martin-Vergel, M. I., & Fernández-Lázaro, D. (2024) · JMIR mHealth and uHealth · doi:10.2196/52424 · Cited by 5
“However, over 50% of mHealth apps have limited functionality [20], and there are several concerns about their effectiveness, acceptability, and efficacy [21,22], indicating room for improvement [23].”
BackgroundHuman-Centered Design and Digital Transformation of Mental Health Services
Fleming, W. J., Coutts, A. P., Pochard, D., Trivedi, D. P., & Sanderson, K. A. (2025) · JMIR Human Factors · doi:10.2196/66040 · Cited by 8
“There is a polarization between low-use, evidence-based practices and high-use, less substantial platforms, accelerated by overcommercialization reducing the quality of products [72].”
Epistemic Injustice in and through AI
Chamma, D., Ahmadpour, N., Ahmed, S. I., Mim, N. J., Zhang, W. Q., di Bona, K., Sachathep, T., Horst, H. A., & Harb, J. I. (2025) · Australian Conference on Human-Computer Interaction (OzCHI) · doi:10.1145/3764687.3767279 · Cited by 5
Yeon, P., Kim, I.-O., Kang, S.-N., Lee, N.-E., Kim, G.-Y., Shim, H.-R., Chung, C.-Y., Lee, J.-S., Jeon, J. Y., & Shin, W.-S. (2023) · Healthcare · doi:10.3390/healthcare11233039 · Cited by 6
“However, very few applications provide evidence-based mental health services to date, even though conditions for therapeutic access using mobile devices have been created due to the COVID-19 pandemic and due to the development of information and communication technology [18,29,30].”
BackgroundPersuasive System Design Features for Mobile Mental Health Applications
Guracho, Y. D., Thomas, S. J., Almutairi, N., & Win, K. T. (2024) · Lecture notes in computer science · doi:10.1007/978-3-031-58226-4_10 · Cited by 5
Morley, J., Laitila, J., Ross, J. S., Schamroth, J., Zhang, J., & Floridi, L. (2025) · Minds and Machines · doi:10.1007/s11023-025-09710-7 · Cited by 5
“• Dedicated research funding for methodological innovation : Academics, regulators, and app developers must collaborate to identify the best methods for generating high-quality evidence of effectiveness and safety for health apps and produce best-practice guidance (Larsen, et al., 2019).”
InfluentialMinen, M. T., Reichel, J. F., Pemmireddy, P., Loder, E., & Torous, J. B. (2020) · JMIR mhealth and uhealth · doi:10.2196/16180 · Cited by 6
“For example, many apps make scientific claims on the app stores, but less than 2% of the apps can offer clinical evidence to back such claims [5].”
BackgroundSelf-citationDesign for e-Mental Health: Toward a New Health Intervention Research Approach
Vial, S., & Boudhraâ, S. (2022) · Design science and innovation · doi:10.1007/978-981-16-9455-4_2 · Cited by 5
Fernández, J. M. B., del Pozo, R. B. M., & Fernández, C. J. B. (2023) · Revista de Bioética y Derecho · doi:10.1344/rbd2023.59.42759 · Cited by 5
Xu, J., Han, Z. R., Lv, X., Chen, L., Mao, N., Gao, M. M., Zhang, H., Hu, Y., Qin, S., Gross, J. J., et al. (2025) · npj Digital Medicine · doi:10.1038/s41746-025-01888-5 · Cited by 4
“Although thousands of platforms of e-mental health interventions, such as commercially developed mobile apps, are now widely available, few platforms have any peer-reviewed evidence 44,45 .”
Boulanger, M. C., Lo, S. B., Centracchio, J. A., Jewett, B., Freese, M., Holtze, M., Jacobs, J. M., Petrillo, L. A., Bauman, J. R., El-Jawahri, A. R., et al. (2025) · Journal of Palliative Medicine · doi:10.1089/jpm.2025.0066 · Cited by 4
“15,16 29 Moreover, few digital health interventions are tailored to the supportive care needs of patients with advanced nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC).”
Metadata
- Authors
- Larsen, M. E., Huckvale, K., Nicholas, J., Torous, J., Birrell, L., Li, E., & Reda, B.
- Affiliations
- Black Dog Institute (AU)
- Northwestern University (US)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Larsen, Mark Erik
- Venue
- npj Digital Medicine
- Published
- 2019-03-22
- Volume
- 2
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 18-18
- ISSN
- 2398-6352 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC6550255
- OpenAlex
- W2925166053
- Cited by
- 334
- References
- 23
- Citations by year
- 2026: 16 · 2025: 53 · 2024: 42 · 2023: 48 · 2022: 47 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 14
- FWCI
- 49.43
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- npj Digital Medicine (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Minerva Access (University of Melbourne) (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › Health Information Management › Health, Technology, Consumer Behavior
- Keywords
- mental health apps, scientific language, quality of evidence, consumer choice, knowledge translation, depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, substance use, self-harm, Google Play Store, iTunes
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