Self-help Lifestyle Medicine App and Booklets for Depression

NCT ID: NCT05086913

Last Updated: 2021-11-03

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

UNKNOWN

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

90 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2021-11-30

Study Completion Date

2022-12-31

Brief Summary

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This study aims to compare self-help lifestyle medicine (LM) delivered by a smartphone app and booklets in managing depressive symptoms in a Chinese population.

This study is a randomised controlled trial. First, informed consent will be obtained from potential participants. Around 90 eligible participants will be randomly assigned to either the LM app group, the LM booklet group, and the waitlist control group, in a ratio of 1:1:1. The app group will receive an app to facilitate lifestyle modification such as video demonstrations of physical activity, diet recommendations, stress and sleep management. The booklet group will receive 8 LM booklets with identical content with the LM app. The waitlist control group will receive access to the app and booklets at the end of the study. The whole intervention lasts 8 weeks. Participants will also receive 2 messages per week from the researcher to check and prompt motivation and adherence. Participants will complete assessment before, immediately after intervention, at one month and 12-week follow up.

Detailed Description

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As lifestyle plays an important role in the pathogenesis of depression, lifestyle medicine (LM) emerges as a new way to alleviate depressive symptoms (Sarris \& O'Neil, 2016). Booklets have been shown as an inexpensive and effective delivery modality of lifestyle modification among individuals with physical conditions (Wong, Chair \& Wong, 2017). Meanwhile, a recent meta-analysis supports the efficacy of mobile applications in improving depressive symptoms (Linardon, Cujipers, Carlbring, Messer \& Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, 2019). Notably, the efficacy of lifestyle intervention using booklets and app have not been compared. This pilot study can inform the field about the efficacy of lifestyle intervention using two self-help delivery modalities and offer new ways to better managing depressive symptoms.

This study will be a randomised controlled trial comparing self-help LM delivered by a smartphone app and booklets in improving depression. For a pilot study, a sample size of 12 per group is recommended (Julious, 2005). Considering an estimation of 20% attrition at the three assessment time points, the final sample size is 90, with 30 participants in each group.

The LM booklet group will receive a pocket size 6-page booklet weekly that covers 8 lifestyle medicine themes including stress, relaxation, diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, worry management, mindfulness, and positive psychology. Exercises based on cognitive behavioural therapy and guidance to set and meet short term and long-term goals are featured in the booklets. The booklet series is reviewed by a panel of experts including clinical psychologists, psychiatrists, dietitians, physical trainers, and traditional Chinese Medicine practitioners. The app group will receive access to a mobile app that offers 8 modules with identical content as the wellness booklets, in addition to videos, relaxation, exercise and cooking demonstrations, daily challenges and record of goals. The waitlist control group will receive access to the app and booklets at the end of the study.

Conditions

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Depression

Keywords

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Depression Self-help Lifestyle Medicine Well-being

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Lifestyle medicine smartphone app

The app group will receive an app to facilitate lifestyle modification such as video demonstrations of physical activity, diet recommendations, stress and sleep management.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lifestyle medicine smartphone app

Intervention Type OTHER

The lifestyle medicine app offers 8 modules with identical content as the wellness booklets, in addition to videos, relaxation, exercise and cooking demonstrations, daily challenges, record of goals, and ecological momentary assessments of diet, physical activity, sleep, stress and mood.

lifestyle medicine booklets

The booklet group will receive 8 lifestyle medicine and psychoeducation booklets with identical content with the lifestyle medicine app.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Lifestyle medicine smartphone booklets

Intervention Type OTHER

Participants will receive a pocket size 6-page booklet weekly over 8 weeks that covers 8 lifestyle medicine, mental health and CBT themes including stress, relaxation, diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, worry management, mindfulness, and positive psychology, and guides participants to set and meet short term and long-term goals.

waitlist control

The waitlist control group will receive access to the lifestyle medicine app and booklets at the end of the study.

Group Type SHAM_COMPARATOR

Waitlist control

Intervention Type OTHER

The waitlist control group will receive access to the lifestyle medicine app and booklets at the end of the study.

Interventions

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Lifestyle medicine smartphone booklets

Participants will receive a pocket size 6-page booklet weekly over 8 weeks that covers 8 lifestyle medicine, mental health and CBT themes including stress, relaxation, diet, exercise, sleep hygiene, worry management, mindfulness, and positive psychology, and guides participants to set and meet short term and long-term goals.

Intervention Type OTHER

Lifestyle medicine smartphone app

The lifestyle medicine app offers 8 modules with identical content as the wellness booklets, in addition to videos, relaxation, exercise and cooking demonstrations, daily challenges, record of goals, and ecological momentary assessments of diet, physical activity, sleep, stress and mood.

Intervention Type OTHER

Waitlist control

The waitlist control group will receive access to the lifestyle medicine app and booklets at the end of the study.

Intervention Type OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Participants with elevated depressive symptoms as defined by PHQ-9 score 10 or above
* Hong Kong residents
* Aged 18 or above
* Able to read Chinese and type in Chinese or English
* Have an Internet-enabled mobile device (iOS or Android operating system)

Exclusion Criteria

* Pregnancy;
* Using medication or psychotherapy for depression;
* Currently participating in other psychological intervention studies;
* Cognitive impairment;
* Having unsafe conditions and are not recommended for physical activity or a change in diet by physicians;
* Self-disclosure of any major psychiatric, medical, or neurocognitive disorders that make participation unsuitable or may interfere with the adherence of the lifestyle modification;
* Any suicidal ideation (scoring above 2 in item 9 in BDI-II) Participants with any urgent health necessity were excluded and referred.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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Chinese University of Hong Kong

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Fiona YY Ho

Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

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The Chinese University of Hong Kong

Shatin, , Hong Kong

Site Status

Countries

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Hong Kong

Central Contacts

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Chung Yan Chow, Undergraduate

Role: CONTACT

Phone: 39436575

Email: [email protected]

Facility Contacts

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Fiona Ho

Role: primary

Other Identifiers

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PSY017

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id