Current directions in digital interventions for mood and anxiety disorders
Abstract
Purpose of review: The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of the current scope of digital interventions for anxiety and mood disorders, with a focus on smartphone apps, for clinicians and mental healthcare providers. Recent findings: Of the 11 randomized controlled trials analyzed, 7 showed evidence that guided digital interventions (those supported by humans) were effective in improving anxiety and mood symptoms, and 3 showed evidence that unguided (those not supported by humans) interventions were effective. Psychoeducation was the most popular feature of both guided and unguided interventions. Attrition was highest (50%) in the unguided app-based intervention and lowest in the guided interventions. Many studies lacked active control groups and comparison was often made to a nondigital or waitlist control condition. Summary: Guided digital interventions continue to show promising results and can be used to enhance clinical care with minimal resources although more direct comparisons to existing treatments are necessary to understand their actual efficacy. Unguided self-help apps and chatbots remain promising, but more work is necessary to understand the real-world engagement and efficacy of these interventions.
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A qualitative review proposed that decreases in judgment and reactivity might be necessary for mindfulness-based interventions to alleviate symptoms of anxiety disorders, including worry.
“Also, a qualitative review proposed that decreases in judgment and reactivity might be necessary for MBIs to alleviate symptoms of anxiety disorders, including worry [40].”
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- Authors
- Lakhtakia, T., & Torous, J.
- Affiliations
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- Corresponding author
- Torous, John
- ORCID
- Lakhtakia, Tanvi
- Venue
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry
- Published
- 2022-03
- Volume
- 35
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 130-135
- ISSN
- 0951-7367 (ISSN-L)
- 1473-6578
- OpenAlex
- W4200321831
- Cited by
- 26
- References
- 20
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 9 · 2022: 4
- FWCI
- 4.25
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Current Opinion in Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Mobile Health and mHealth Applications
- Keywords
- digital interventions, mood disorders, anxiety disorders, mobile application, chatbots, psychoeducation, attrition, treatment engagement, digital mental health
- MeSH terms
- Affect, Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Humans, Mood Disorders, Mobile Applications
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