Self-help cognitive behavioral therapy application for COVID-19-related mental health problems: A longitudinal trial

Background and aim: Recently, the availability and usefulness of mobile self-help mental health applications have increased, but few applications deal with COVID-19-related psychological problems. This study explored the intervention efficacy of a mobile application on addressing psychological problems related to COVID-19. Methods: A longitudinal control trial involving 129 Chinese participants with depression symptoms was conducted through the mobile application Care for Your Mental Health and Sleep during COVID-19 (CMSC) based on WeChat. Participants were divided into two groups: mobile internet cognitive behavioral therapy (MiCBT) and wait-list. The primary outcome was improvement in depression symptoms. Secondary outcomes included improvement in anxiety and insomnia. The MiCBT group received three self-help CBT intervention sessions in one week via CMSC. Results: The MiCBT group showed significant improvement in depression and insomnia (all P < 0.05) compared with the wait-list group. Although both groups showed significant improvement in anxiety at the intervention's end, compared with the wait-list group, the MiCBT group had no significant advantage. Correlation analysis showed that improvement in depression and anxiety had a significant positive association with education level. Changes in insomnia were significantly negatively correlated with anxiety of COVID-19 at the baseline. CMSC was considered helpful (n=68, 81.9 %) and enjoyable (n=54, 65.9 %) in relieving depression and insomnia during the COVID-19 outbreak. Conclusions: CMSC is verified to be effective and convenient for improving COVID-19-related depression and insomnia symptoms. A large study with sufficient evidence is required to determine its continuous effect on reducing mental health problems during the pandemic.

Automated summary

This study investigated the efficacy of a mobile application in addressing psychological problems related to COVID-19 among Chinese participants with depression symptoms. The results showed that mobile internet cognitive behavioral therapy sessions significantly improved depression and insomnia symptoms, compared to the wait-list group. The participants found the mobile application helpful and enjoyable in relieving depression and insomnia during the COVID-19 outbreak.