JAMA Netw Open

Can incentives coupled with cognitive behavioral therapy reduce anxiety in young adults?

August 26, 2024

A self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) mobile application was effective at improving symptoms in young adults with anxiety disorders, regardless of the type of incentive strategy used to promote engagement. Given these findings, digital interventions represent a promising step toward wider dissemination of high-quality, evidence-based interventions.

• In this RCT, 59 young adults with anxiety disorders received 6-weeks access to a self-guided comprehensive mobile CBT intervention and were randomized to 1 of 3 different text message-based incentive conditions (gain-framed, loss-framed, or gain-social support). The primary outcome was change in anxious symptoms from baseline to end of treatment, as measured by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A). Participants were mostly female (78%) and had a mean age of 23 years. A total of 54% were college-educated.
• Anxiety symptoms decreased significantly across conditions from baseline (15.0) to end of the intervention by a mean difference of -5.64 (95% CI, -7.23 to -4.05), and symptomatic improvement was maintained at the week 12 follow-up (baseline to follow-up mean difference, -5.67; 95% CI, -7.29 to -4.04).
• Change in anxiety did not differ by incentive type (loss-framed vs. gain-social support).

Source:

Bress JN, et al. (2024, August 1). JAMA Netw Open. Efficacy of a Mobile App-Based Intervention for Young Adults With Anxiety Disorders: A Randomized Clinical Trial. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39163044/