Reviewgold2019

Efficacy of mobile application interventions for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder: A systematic review

Alice Wickersham · Petros Minas Petrides · Victoria Williamson · Daniel Leightley

54 citations0/0 files storedDigital Health

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Digital Mental Health Interventions Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Research Mobile Health and mHealth Applications

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Many adults with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are unable to access healthcare services for treatment due to logistical, social, and attitudinal barriers. Interventions delivered via mobile applications (apps) may help overcome these barriers. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to systematically evaluate the most recent evidence from trials investigating the efficacy of mobile apps for treating PTSD. METHODS: PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, PsycINFO, and Medline were searched in February 2018. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) were included if they quantitatively evaluated the efficacy of a mobile app for treating PTSD as part of the primary aim. Findings were presented in a narrative synthesis. RESULTS: In the five identified RCTs, the use of app-based interventions appeared to be associated with reductions in PTSD symptoms. However, the strength of evidence for this association appeared to be inconsistent, and there was little evidence that those using the apps experienced greater reductions in PTSD symptoms than those in control conditions. Nonetheless, there was some evidence that app-based interventions are both a feasible and acceptable treatment pathway option. CONCLUSIONS: Included studies were often limited by small sample sizes, brief intervention, and follow-up periods, and self-reported measures of PTSD. Evidence for the efficacy of mobile interventions for treating PTSD was inconclusive, but promising. Healthcare professionals should exercise caution in recommending app-based interventions until the potentially adverse effects of app use are better understood and larger-scale studies have taken place.

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References

2009Preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses: the PRISMA statement 2009Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses: The PRISMA Statement 2011The Cochrane Collaboration's tool for assessing risk of bias in randomised trials 2008Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions 2011Mobile phone use and stress, sleep disturbances, and symptoms of depression among young adults - a prospective cohort study 2016Identifying barriers to mental health help-seeking among young adults in the UK: a cross-sectional survey 2015Mobile mental health: a challenging research agenda 2015mHealth in the Wild: Using Novel Data to Examine the Reach, Use, and Impact of PTSD Coach

Cited by

2021A Self-Help App for Syrian Refugees With Posttraumatic Stress (Sanadak): Randomized Controlled Trial 2020The Use of Digital Applications and COVID-19 2023Cognitive reappraisal in mHealth interventions to foster mental health in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis 2023The development of a smartphone app to enhance post-traumatic stress disorder treatment in high-risk workers 2022Efficacy and mechanisms of mobile application-delivered Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder in China: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

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