Towards Development of a Mobile Application to Evaluate Mental Health: Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and stress are increasingly present in the lives of many people, which has led these disorders to be a latent public health problem today. This situation has prompted the development of new solutions focused on improving people’s mental health status, some of these solutions are based on mobile applications. This article presents the results of a systematic literature review that was carried out with the aim of identifying mobile applications that address the most common mental health conditions, focusing on the design, development and/or evaluation of this kind of application. 152 primary studies were selected, 86 of them reported on evaluations of mental health applications. However, 72 of the primary studies addressed more than one mental disorder, highlighting depression, stress, and anxiety.

Appendices

Appendix A. Primary Studies

Id	Name	Year	Disorder
PS1	Mobile Mental Wellness Training for Stress Management: Feasibility and Design Implications Based on a One-Month Field Study	2013	Stress
PS2	A Comparison of Two Delivery Modalities of a Mobile Phone-Based Assessment for Serious Mental Illness: Native Smartphone Application vs Text-Messaging Only Implementations	2013	Mental disorders
PS3	The State of Mental Digi-Therapeutics: A Systematic Assessment of Depression and Anxiety Apps Available for Arabic Speakers	2020	Mental disorders
PS4	Usability Issues in Mental Health Applications	2019	Mental disorders
PS5	A mobile application to complement face-to-face interactions in psychological intervention for social anxiety management	2019	Social anxiety
PS6	The Use and Effectiveness of Mobile Apps for Depression: Results from a Fully Remote Clinical Trial	2016	Depression
PS7	Towards Early Detection of Depression through Smartphone Sensing	2019	Depression (MDD)
PS8	The Prevalence and Usage of Mobile Health Applications among Mental Health Patients in Saudi Arabia	2018	Mental disorders
PS9	Effects of a 12-min Smartphone-Based Mindful Breathing Task on Heart Rate Variability for Students with Clinically Relevant Chronic Pain, Depression, and Anxiety: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial	2019	Mental disorders
PS10	Engagement in mobile phone app for self-monitoring of emotional wellbeing predicts changes in mental health: MoodPrism	2018	Mental disorders
PS11	A randomized controlled trial of three smartphone apps for enhancing public mental health	2018	Mental disorders
PS12	Development and Pilot Evaluation of Smartphone-Delivered Cognitive Behavior Therapy Strategies for Mood and Anxiety-Related Problems: MoodMission	2018	Mental disorders
PS13	Applying the Principles for Digital Development: Case Study of a Smartphone App to Support Collaborative Care for Rural Patients with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder or Bipolar Disorder	2018	Bipolar disorder
PS14	Acceptability of mHealth augmentation of Collaborative Care: A mixed methods pilot study	2018	Mental disorders
PS15	There is a non-evidence-based app for that: A systematic review and mixed methods analysis of depression- and anxiety-related apps that incorporate unrecognized techniques	2020	Mental disorders
PS16	Transdiagnostic Mobile Health: Smartphone Intervention Reduces Depressive Symptoms in People with Mood and Psychotic Disorders	2019	Mental disorders
PS17	Self-Reflected Well-Being via a Smartphone App in Clinical Medical Students: Feasibility Study	2018	Mental disorders
PS18	Creating Live Interactions to Mitigate Barriers (CLIMB): A Mobile Intervention to Improve Social Functioning in People with Chronic Psychotic Disorders	2016	Psychosis
PS19	Does a Mobile Phone Depression-Screening App Motivate Mobile Phone Users with High Depressive Symptoms to Seek a Health Care Professional’s Help?	2016	Depression
PS20	MoodHacker Mobile Web App with Email for Adults to Self-Manage Mild-to-Moderate Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial	2016	Depression
PS21	Adding a smartphone app to Internet-based self-help for social anxiety: a randomized controlled trial	2018	Social anxiety
PS22	Behavior Analytics of Users Completing Ecological Momentary Assessments in the Form of Mental Health Scales and Mood Logs on a Smartphone App	2019	Mental disorders
PS23	A Mobile Application for Campus-based Psychosocial Wellness Program	2016	Mental disorders
PS24	Smartphone app to investigate the relationship between social connectivity and mental health	2017	Mental disorders
PS25	A Stress Management App Intervention for Cancer Survivors: Design, Development, and Usability Testing	2018	Stress
PS26	Addressing Depression Comorbid with Diabetes or Hypertension in Resource-Poor Settings: A Qualitative Study About User Perception of a Nurse-Supported Smartphone App in Peru	2019	Depression
PS27	Counseling with Guided Use of a Mobile Well-Being App for Students Experiencing Anxiety or Depression: Clinical Outcomes of a Feasibility Trial Embedded in a Student Counseling Service	2019	Mental disorders
PS28	Consumer smartphone apps marketed for child and adolescent anxiety: A systematic review and content analysis	2018	Anxiety
PS29	A Stress Relief App Intervention for Newly Employed Nursing Staff: Quasi-Experimental Design	2019	Stress
PS30	A multi-faceted approach to characterizing user behavior and experience in a digital mental health intervention	2019	Mental disorders
PS31	Mood and Stress Evaluation of Adult Patients with Moyamoya Disease in Korea: Ecological Momentary Assessment Method Using a Mobile Phone App	2019	Stress
PS32	A Novel Mobile Phone App Intervention with Phone Coaching to Reduce Symptoms of Depression in Survivors of Women’s Cancer: Pre-Post Pilot Study	2020	Depression
PS33	Developing Mental or Behavioral Health Mobile Apps for Pilot Studies by Leveraging Survey Platforms: A Do-it-Yourself Process	2020	Depression
PS34	Response Time as an Implicit Self-Schema Indicator for Depression Among Undergraduate Students: Preliminary Findings from a Mobile App–Based Depression Assessment	2019	Depression
PS35	Intermittent mindfulness practice can be beneficial, and daily practice can be harmful. An in depth, mixed methods study of the “Calm” app’s (mostly positive) effects	2020	Mental disorders
PS36	A New Mental Health Mobile App for Well-Being and Stress Reduction in Working Women: Randomized Controlled Trial	2019	Stress
PS37	A Systematic, Multi-domain Review of Mobile Smartphone Apps for Evidence-Based Stress Management	2016	Stress
PS38	Development and Preliminary Feasibility Study of a Brief Behavioral Activation Mobile Application (Behavioral Apptivation) to be used in Conjunction with Ongoing Therapy	2018	Depression
PS39	Pilot randomized controlled trial of a Spanish-language Behavioral Activation mobile app (¡Aptívate!) for the treatment of depressive symptoms among united states Latinx adults with limited English proficiency	2019	Depression
PS40	Pilot Randomized Trial of a Self-Help Behavioral Activation Mobile App for Utilization in Primary Care	2019	Depression
PS41	A Mobile Phone App to Improve the Mental Health of Taxi Drivers: Single-Arm Feasibility Trial	2020	Mental disorders
PS42	Mobile Apps for Suicide Prevention: Review of Virtual Stores and Literature	2017	Suicide risk
PS43	A Mental Health Chatbot for Regulating Emotions (SERMO) - Concept and Usability Test	2020	Mental disorders
PS44	Salutary effects of an attention bias modification mobile application on biobehavioral measures of stress and anxiety during pregnancy	2017	Mental disorders
PS45	Development of an Ambulatory Biofeedback App to Enhance Emotional Awareness in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder: Multicycle Usability Testing Study	2019	Mental disorders
PS46	Integration of a Technology-Based Mental Health Screening Program into Routine Practices of Primary Health Care Services in Peru (The Allillanchu Project): Development and Implementation	2018	Mental disorders
PS47	Brief report: Feasibility of a mindfulness and self-compassion based mobile intervention for adolescents	2016	Mental disorders
PS48	A mobile application for panic disorder and agoraphobia: Insights from a multi-methods feasibility study	2020	Panic disorder
PS49	Long-Term Outcomes of a Therapist-Supported, Smartphone-Based Intervention for Elevated Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety: Quasi experimental, Pre-Postintervention Study	2019	Mental disorders
PS50	A Feasibility Trial of Power Up: Smartphone App to Support Patient Activation and Shared Decision Making for Mental Health in Young People	2019	Mental disorders
PS51	Development and Long-Term Acceptability of ExPRESS, a Mobile Phone App to Monitor Basic Symptoms and Early Signs of Psychosis Relapse	2019	Psychosis
PS52	‘It feels different from real life’: Users’ Opinions of Mobile Applications for Mental Health	2015	Mental disorders
PS53	A Mobile App–Based Intervention for Depression: End-User and Expert Usability Testing Study	2018	Depression
PS54	Cognitive and Behavioral Skills Exercises Completed by Patients with Major Depression During Smartphone Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: Secondary Analysis of a Randomized Controlled Trial	2018	Depression
PS55	Young People’s Response to Six Smartphone Apps for Anxiety and Depression: Focus Group Study	2019	Mental disorders
PS56	Automated Mobile Phone–Based Mental Health Resource for Homeless Youth: Pilot Study Assessing Feasibility and Acceptability	2019	Mental disorders
PS57	Feasibility of a Therapist-Supported, Mobile Phone–Delivered Online Intervention for Depression: Longitudinal Observational Study	2019	Depression
PS58	A Peer-Led Electronic Mental Health Recovery App in a Community-Based Public Mental Health Service: Pilot Trial	2019	Mental disorders
PS59	Early Signs Monitoring to Prevent Relapse in Psychosis and Promote Well-Being, Engagement, and Recovery: Protocol for a Feasibility Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial Harnessing Mobile Phone Technology Blended with Peer Support	2020	Mental disorders
PS60	Validity of Mind Monitoring System as a Mental Health Indicator using Voice	2016	Mental disorders
PS61	Efficacy of an internet and app-based gratitude intervention in reducing repetitive negative thinking and mechanisms of change in the intervention’s effect on anxiety and depression: Results from a randomized controlled trial	2019	Mental disorders
PS62	A Behavioral Activation Mobile Health App for Smokers with Depression: Development and Pilot Evaluation in a Single-Arm Trial	2019	Depression
PS63	Youth Codesign of a Mobile Phone App to Facilitate Self-Monitoring and Management of Mood Symptoms in Young People with Major Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and Self-Harm	2018	Mental disorders
PS64	Gamification in Stress Management Apps: A Critical App Review	2017	Stress
PS65	Efficacy of the Mindfulness Meditation Mobile App “Calm” to Reduce Stress Among College Students: Randomized Controlled Trial	2019	Stress
PS66	Smartphone-based ecological momentary assessment for Chinese patients with depression: An exploratory study in Taiwan	2016	Depression
PS67	Effect of Brief Biofeedback via a Smartphone App on Stress Recovery: Randomized Experimental Study	2019	Stress
PS68	An Empathy-Driven, Conversational Artificial Intelligence Agent (Wysa) for Digital Mental Well-Being: Real-World Data Evaluation Mixed-Methods Study	2018	Depression (MDD)
PS69	Use of a smartphone application to screen for depression and suicide in South Korea	2017	Mental disorders
PS70	Accuracy of a Chatbot (Ada) in the Diagnosis of Mental Disorders: Comparative Case Study with Lay and Expert Users	2019	Mental disorders
PS71	Depression Screening Using Daily Mental-Health Ratings from a Smartphone Application for Breast Cancer Patients	2016	Depression
PS72	Associations Among Emotional State, Sleep Quality, and Resting-State EEG Spectra: A Longitudinal Study in Graduate Students	2020	Mental disorders
PS73	Free mobile apps on depression for Indian users: A brief overview and critique	2017	Depression
PS74	Quantifying App Store Dynamics: Longitudinal Tracking of Mental Health Apps	2016	Depression
PS75	Uptake and usage of IntelliCare: A publicly available suite of mental health and well-being apps	2016	Mental disorders
PS76	Android and iPhone Mobile Apps for Psychosocial Wellness and Stress Management: Systematic Search in App Stores and Literature Review	2020	Stress
PS77	Evaluation of an mHealth App (DeStressify) on University Students’ Mental Health: Pilot Trial	2018	Mental disorders
PS78	Designing Daybuilder: An Experimental App to Support People with Depression	2012	Depression
PS79	A randomized controlled trial on a smartphone self-help application (Be Good to Yourself) to reduce depressive symptoms	2018	Depression
PS80	Stress management for middle managers via an acceptance and commitment-based smartphone application: A randomized controlled trial	2014	Stress
PS81	A fully automated conversational agent for promoting mental well-being: A pilot RCT using mixed methods	2017	Mental disorders
PS82	Efficacy and Moderation of Mobile App–Based Programs for Mindfulness-Based Training, Self-Compassion Training, and Cognitive Behavioral Psychoeducation on Mental Health: Randomized Controlled Noninferiority Trial	2018	Mental disorders
PS83	Smartphone Cognitive Behavioral Therapy as an Adjunct to Pharmacotherapy for Refractory Depression: Randomized Controlled Trial	2017	Depression
PS84	Interaction and Engagement with an Anxiety Management App: Analysis Using Large-Scale Behavioral Data	2018	Anxiety
PS85	Use of a Mobile Phone App to Treat Depression Comorbid with Hypertension or Diabetes: A Pilot Study in Brazil and Peru	2019	Depression
PS86	The challenger app for social anxiety disorder: New advances in mobile psychological treatment	2015	Social anxiety
PS87	iCare-Stress: An Integrated Mental Health Software	2017	Mental disorders
PS88	Guided Self-Help Works: Randomized Waitlist Controlled Trial of Pacifica, a Mobile App Integrating Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Mindfulness for Stress, Anxiety, and Depression	2019	Mental disorders
PS89	MedLink: A mobile intervention to address failure points in the treatment of depression in general medicine	2015	Depression
PS90	IntelliCare: An Eclectic, Skills-Based App Suite for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety	2017	Mental disorders
PS91	Comparing usage of a web and app stress management intervention: An observational study	2018	Stress
PS92	Incorporation of a Stress Reducing Mobile App in the Care of Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Prospective Study	2017	Stress
PS93	Anti-depression and anti-suicidal application	2020	Depression
PS94	Immediate Mood Scaler: Tracking Symptoms of Depression and Anxiety Using a Novel Mobile Mood Scale	2017	Mental disorders
PS95	Assessing Real-Time Moderation for Developing Adaptive Mobile Health Interventions for Medical Interns: Micro-Randomized Trial	2020	Mental disorders
PS96	Capturing and Analyzing Pervasive Data for SmartHealth	2014	Mental disorders
PS97	Mobile Apps for Bipolar Disorder: A Systematic Review of Features and Content Quality	2015	Trastorno bipolar
PS98	The WorkingWell Mobile Phone App for Individuals with Serious Mental Illnesses: Proof-of-Concept, Mixed-Methods Feasibility Study	2018	Mental disorders
PS99	Smartphone-based safety planning and self-monitoring for suicidal patients: Rationale and study protocol of the CASPAR (Continuous Assessment for Suicide Prevention and Research) study	2018	Suicide risk
PS100	Reviewing the data security and privacy policies of mobile apps for depression	2019	Depression
PS101	Testing an app-assisted treatment for suicide prevention in a randomized controlled trial: Effects on suicide risk and depression	2019	Mental disorders
PS102	Evaluation of a Mobile Device Survey System for Behavioral Risk Factors (SHAPE): App Development and Usability Study	2019	Mental disorders
PS103	Developing an Application for Dealing with Depression through the Analysis of Information and Requirements found in Groups from a Social Network	2018	Depression
PS104	Psychologist in a Pocket: Lexicon Development and Content Validation of a Mobile-Based App for Depression Screening	2016	Depression
PS105	A Randomized Controlled Trial of the PTSD Coach Mobile Health App at Reducing Pain and Psychological Symptoms among Injured Emergency Department Patients: Preliminary Results	2019	Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PS106	How private is your mental health app data? An empirical study of mental health app privacy policies and practices	2019	Mental disorders
PS107	Designing a Mobile Application to Support the Indicated Prevention and Early Intervention of Childhood Anxiety	2015	Anxiety
PS108	eMindLog: Self-Measurement of Anxiety and Depression Using Mobile Technology	2017	Mental disorders
PS109	Worker Preferences for a Mental Health App Within Male-Dominated Industries: Participatory Study	2018	Mental disorders
PS110	Development and initial evaluation of a mobile application to help with mindfulness training and practice	2017	Mental disorders
PS111	Efficacy of the Digital Therapeutic Mobile App BioBase to Reduce Stress and Improve Mental Well-Being Among University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial	2020	Stress
PS112	Co-designing the Aboriginal and Islander Mental Health Initiative for Youth (AIMhi-Y) App: Results of a formative mixed methods study	2020	Mental disorders
PS113	Using Mobile Health Gamification to Facilitate Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Skills Practice in Child Anxiety Treatment: Open Clinical Trial	2018	Anxiety
PS114	Using Mobile Apps to Assess and Treat Depression in Hispanic and Latino Populations: Fully Remote Randomized Clinical Trial	2018	Depression
PS115	Exploring the Time Trend of Stress Levels While Using the Crowdsensing Mobile Health Platform, TrackYourStress, and the Influence of Perceived Stress Reactivity: Ecological Momentary Assessment Pilot Study	2019	Stress
PS116	Functionality of Top-Rated Mobile Apps for Depression: Systematic Search and Evaluation	2020	Depression
PS117	Validation of an mHealth App for Depression Screening and Monitoring (Psychologist in a Pocket): Correlational Study and Concurrence Analysis	2019	Depression
PS118	Testing the acceptability and initial efficacy of a smartphone-app mindfulness intervention for college student veterans with PTSD	2020	Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PS119	Development of a Mobile Phone App to Support Self-Monitoring of Emotional Well-Being: A Mental Health Digital Innovation	2016	Mental disorders
PS120	Availability, readability, and content of privacy policies and terms of agreements of mental health apps	2019	Mental disorders
PS121	Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Mobile Health: App Investigation and Scoping Literature Review	2017	Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
PS122	SmileTeq: An Assistive and Recommendation Mobile Application for People with Anxiety, Depression or Stress	2019	Mental disorders
PS123	Physician Anxiety and Burnout: Symptom Correlates and a Prospective Pilot Study of App-Delivered Mindfulness Training	2020	Anxiety
PS124	Beam: a mobile application to improve happiness and mental health	2014	Mental disorders
PS125	Mobile app for stress monitoring using voice features	2015	Stress
PS126	A Mobile Phone–Based Intervention to Improve Mental Health Among Homeless Young Adults: Pilot Feasibility Trial	2019	Mental disorders
PS127	Mental Health Apps in China: Analysis and Quality Assessment	2019	Mental disorders
PS128	Speech Analysis and Depression	2016	Depression
PS129	Finding a Depression App: A Review and Content Analysis of the Depression App Marketplace	2015	Depression
PS130	Using a Smartphone App and Clinician Portal to Enhance Brief Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders	2020	Anxiety
PS131	Self-Directed Engagement with a Mobile App (Sinasprite) and Its Effects on Confidence in Coping Skills, Depression, and Anxiety: Retrospective Longitudinal Study	2018	Mental disorders
PS132	Feasibility of mobile mental wellness training for older adults	2018	Depression
PS133	Imagine your mood: Study design and protocol of a randomized controlled micro-trial using app-based experience sampling methodology to explore processes of change during relapse prevention interventions for recurrent depression	2017	Depression (MDD)
PS134	User Experience of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Apps for Depression: An Analysis of App Functionality and User Reviews	2018	Depression
PS135	Development of a Mobile Application for People with Panic Disorder as augmentation for an Internet-based Intervention	2013	Panic disorder
PS136	Exploring User Learnability and Learning Performance in an App for Depression: Usability Study	2017	Depression
PS137	Usability of a Smartphone Application to Support the Prevention and Early Intervention of Anxiety in Youth	2017	Anxiety
PS138	Towards Situation-aware Mobile Applications in Mental Health	2016	Mental disorders
PS139	Development of a Digital Content-Free Speech Analysis Tool for the Measurement of Mental Health and Follow-Up for Mental Disorders: Protocol for a Case-Control Study	2020	Mental disorders
PS140	Mental Health App Design – A Journey from Concept to Completion	2015	Anxiety
PS141	Utilizing a Personal Smartphone Custom App to Assess the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) Depressive Symptoms in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder	2015	Depression (MDD)
PS142	Daily longitudinal self-monitoring of mood variability in bipolar disorder and borderline personality disorder	2016	Mental disorders
PS143	An App That Incorporates Gamification, Mini-Games, and Social Connection to Improve Men’s Mental Health and Well-Being (MindMax): Participatory Design Process	2018	Mental disorders
PS144	Naturalistic evaluation of a sport-themed mental health and wellbeing app aimed at men (MindMax), that incorporates applied video games and gamification	2020	Mental disorders
PS145	Development of a Mobile Clinical Prediction Tool to Estimate Future Depression Severity and Guide Treatment in Primary Care: User-Centered Design	2018	Depression
PS146	Effects of a Mindfulness Meditation App on Subjective Well-Being: Active Randomized Controlled Trial and Experience Sampling Study	2019	Mental disorders
PS147	A review of popular smartphone apps for depression and anxiety: Assessing the inclusion of evidence-based content	2019	Mental disorders
PS148	Experiences of General Practitioners and Practice Support Staff Using a Health and Lifestyle Screening App in Primary Health Care: Implementation Case Study	2018	Mental disorders
PS149	Human-Centered Development of an Activity Diary App for People with Depression	2019	Depression
PS150	Adapting a Psychosocial Intervention for Smartphone Delivery to Middle-Aged and Older Adults with Serious Mental Illness	2017	Mental disorders
PS151	An Online- and Mobile-Based Application to Facilitate Exposure for Childhood Anxiety Disorders	2019	Anxiety
PS152	Emotion-Polarity Visualizer on Smartphone	2019	Mental disorders

Appendix B. Mobile Applications