An FTP-Based App for the Reduction of Depression Symptoms: A Randomized Controlled Trial (Preprint)

Abstract

The constant rise and the prevalence of Major Depressive Disorder call for new, effective, and accessible interventions. Recent digital health developments suggest that dedicated online platforms may successfully address this gap

We investigated the efficacy of a novel approach for treating depression by facilitating thought progression (FTP) through a gamified app.

A randomized control trial was conducted, comparing the improvement in depression symptoms between participants who played with the app in the intervention group (n=74) and waitlist controls (n=27) over the course of eight weeks.

The results indicate that across multiple clinical measurements, app-playing participants showed greater and faster improvement in depressive symptoms compared with their waitlist control counterparts. Playing participants also showed high interest in continued post-trial engagement.

These results demonstrate that the implementation of FTP-based interventions in future therapeutic contexts may prove fruitful in providing novel, accessible and effective treatment for depression.

Clinical Trial Registry Name Clinicaltrials.gov (http://www.clinicaltrials.gov) Clinical Trial Registry URL https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05685758 Clinical Trial Registry Number NCT05685758