The effects of mobile technology-based support on young women with depressive symptoms: A block randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND

The current body of knowledge highlights the potential role of mobile technology as a medium to deliver support for psychological and physical health. This study evaluated the influence of mobile technology support on depressive symptoms and physical activity in female university students.

METHODS

A block randomized controlled trial design with a single site was used. Ninety-nine participants were block-randomized into 3 arms: Experimental Group 1 (emotional and informational support group), Experimental Group 2 (informational support group), and the control group. Interventions were delivered via mobile technology for 2 weeks. Data on depressive symptoms and physical activity were collected from 84 participants at baseline and on Days 8 and 15. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, t tests, one-way analysis of variance, and repeated-measures analysis of variance.

RESULTS

This study showed no interaction effect of time and group on depressive symptom scores and physical activity, considering the emotional and informational support from mobile technology. However, Experimental Group 1 exhibited a significant reduction in depressive symptoms during the first week of the study compared to Experimental Group 2 and the control group. While physical activity in Experimental Group 2 and control group increased only during the first week of the study and subsequently decreased, Experimental Group 1 showed an initial increase during the first week that was sustained into the second week.

CONCLUSIONS

Since informational and emotional support showed a strong effect over a short period of time, mobile technology offering emotional support could be used to provide crisis interventions for depression among young women when a short-term impact is required.