Efficacy of a Mobile Phone App for Depression and Anxiety in College Students

Efficacy of a Mobile Phone Application for Early Intervention of Depression and Anxiety in Young College Students

The goal of this clinical trial is to evaluate the efficacy of a mobile phone application for the early intervention of depression and anxiety among young university students in Chile. The main question it aims to answer is:

- Can a mobile app reduce depressive and anxious symptomatology in college students?

Researchers will compare the intervention arm (mobile app users) to the control group (receives psychoeducational material and mental health care resources) to see if the app leads to significant improvements in depressive and anxious symptoms and well-being.

Participants will:

• Be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group.
• Use the mobile application, which includes psychoeducational materials, cognitive-behavioral therapy modules, and periodic personalized feedback.
• Complete assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3 and 6 months after randomization using online tools such as the PHQ-9 for depressive symptoms and the GAD-7 for anxious symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria:

• PHQ-9 and GAD-7 score between 5 and 14 points
• Have a stable internet connection
• To provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• High risk of suicide according to C-SSRS
• Currently undergoing psychological, psychiatric and/or psychopharmacological treatment
• Bipolar disorder, psychotic disorder or substance use disorder assessed with the respective modules of the MINI interview.