An evaluation of the behaviour change content and quality of smartphone apps designed for individuals experiencing anxiety: an illustrative example for school psychologists

ABSTRACT

Objective

To evaluate the behaviour change techniques (BCT) of anxiety-related stand-alone apps accessible to individuals who wish to use apps to assist in the self-management of their anxiety.

Methods

Apps that met the inclusion criterion were downloaded and subjected to content analysis. Specific categories were coded using the BCTTv1 (behaviour change technique taxonomy) and the Mobile Application Rating Scale: User version (uMARS).

Results

Overall, the reviewed apps included low levels of BCTs, which moderately correlated with app quality. When comparing apps that claimed to facilitate self-management of anxiety symptoms and those which did not, there were no significant differences in the BCT and overall quality between the two groups. Three stand-alone anxiety-related apps were identified as of better quality than the others. They had higher scores on both the level of behaviour change content and overall quality.

Conclusions

The BCTTv1 framework was a time efficient method for assessing the behaviour change content of the apps.

Implications

The BCTTv1 framework allows psychologists to make evidence-based decisions about the type of anxiety-related stand-alone apps to recommend to their clients.

KEY POINTS

What is already known about this topic:

(1) Smartphone apps are increasingly used to manage a wide range of health-related behaviours.

(2) Psychologists have expressed concerns about their use for mental-health issues.

(3) Anxiety related apps are becoming more commonly used by school-aged students.

What this topic adds:

(1) There is a gap in the literature that has examined the behaviour change content with in anxiety-related stand-alone apps.

(2) Behaviour change techniques in the reviewed anxiety apps were low in number.

(3) The BCTTv1 framework was a time-efficient method for psychologists to use when assessing anxiety related apps’ behaviour change content.

KEYWORDS:

• Anxiety
• apps
• students
• self-management
• behaviour
• smartphone

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks to the independent raters who assisted in the coding and analysis of the raw data.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Raw data were generated from the selected apps. Derived data supporting the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author on request ([email protected]).