Effectiveness of a Digital Application for Adolescents With Mild to Moderate Anxiety
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Modi, Treatment as usual.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Anxiety, Anxiety and Fear, Adolescent - Emotional Problem. Basic parameters: 13 years — 16 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Norway
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Effektiviteten av en Digital Mestringsapp for Ungdommer Med Mild Til Moderat Angst
Overview
The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to investigate the effectiveness of a new therapist-guided rule based intervention in Bergen Municipality, Child and Family help center. Do they have a decrease in anxiety symptoms following the intervention? Do they have an increase in functional level following the intervention? Researchers will compare the therapist-guided rule based intervention with treatment as usual for adolescents with mild to moderate anxiety. Participants will use the intervention, which is based on CBT, for 8 weeks.
Detailed description
Modi is a mobile application and consists of a training program for adolescents with anxiety problems. Anxiety is one of the most common mental disorders. The anxiety symptoms usually have an age of onset in adolescence. For many, these anxiety symptoms persist into adulthood, and lead to reduced quality of life and functional impairment. The goal is to prevent anxiety disorders, comorbid disorders and loss of function as a result of the anxiety symptoms.
This study wants to investigate the effectiveness of a digital intervention in a randomized controlled trial. The study will recruit N = 128 young people aged 13-16 who will be randomized to either a therapist-guided, rule-based chatbot intervention or treatment as usual in the Child and Family Help Center in Bergen Municipality. The study will examine the clinical effects of the new intervention compared to treatment as usual
Interventions
- Other Modi
The Modi course, an eight-week mobile application intervention for adolescents with anxiety symptoms, is based on cognitive therapy. Guided by a rule-based chatbot named "Anna," users navigate through predefined options and responses, learning about anxiety and recording their challenges. The app includes animated videos, illustrations, and audio files to enhance engagement. Modi consists of six chapters, with a focus on psychoeducation, the cognitive triangle, and exposure exercises. Participan - Other Treatment as usual
Participants receive usual treatment at their local Child and Family Services. This treatment, known as Treatment as Usual (TAU), is not standardized but reflects the care they would receive in regular practice. It aligns with national clinical guidelines and includes individual therapy, parental counseling, and assessments. Typically, the treatment is provided by a therapist trained in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or a psychologist
Primary outcome measures
- Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale - 25 - Self-report [Time frame: assessing change from screening, pre, week 2, week 4, week 6, and immediately after the intervention, follow-up 1 month, and at follow-up 6 months]]
- Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale - 25 - Parent-report [Time frame: assessing change from screening, pre, week 2, week 4, week 6, and immediately after the intervention, follow-up 1 month, and at follow-up 6 months]]
Secondary outcome measures (2)
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - Youth version [Time frame: assessing change from screening, pre, week 4, immediately after the intervention, follow-up 1 month, and at follow-up 6 months]]
- Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire - Parent version [Time frame: assessing change from screening, pre, week 4, immediately after the intervention, follow-up 1 month, and at follow-up 6 months]]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Ages 13-16
- Resides in Bergen
- Completed RCADS-25
- Reports "yes" to both questions:
- Do you have anxiety symptoms? Do you often feel stressed, scared, worried, or feel it in your body (e.g., stomach pain, heart palpitations, breathing problems, sweating, dizziness)?
- Do anxiety symptoms prevent you from doing things you want or need to do (e.g., meeting new people, giving presentations at school, going to sleepovers, going to the shopping center)? Or do you spend so much time worrying that it affects your daily life? Can read Norwegian
Exclusion criteria
- Currently receiving other psychological treatment
- Immediate need for other psychological treatment, such as severe depression, suicide risk, OCD, psychosis/substance abuse issues, autism spectrum disorder
- Anxiety is largely related to bullying
- Extensive school absence of more than 50% in the last three months
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: No
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Single blind
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
Norway · 1 center
- Research centre for digital mental health services, Haukeland University Hospital — Bergen
Identifiers
NCT: NCT06531980 · 714490