Utility of a Mindfulness App for Outpatients Awaiting Appointments for Mental Health Interventions

Utility of a Mindfulness App for Outpatients Awaiting Appointments for Mental Health Interventions

Randomized Control Trial of AmDTx (new name DawnDTx) on waitlist patients waiting for first psychiatric consultation to determine if a digital mental health app can reduce PHQ8 and GAD7 scores during the waitlist period.

Results from the study will provide information on how IMH/SGH and Mobio Interactive (commercial partner) can best provide enhanced healthcare within the outpatient context on a broader scale. By evaluating the changes in depression and anxiety (amongst other measures) in adults and adolescents who are on a waitlist for services at IMH and SGH and receiving access to AmDTx (compared to placebo control, we can see the effectiveness of such an application in helping patients on future waitlists to decrease their morbidity before they see their clinician in the speciaist clinics of IMH and SGH. The study will enable the investigators to evaluate the treatment acceptability, credibility, and satisfaction of AmDTx and healthcare services at IMH and SGH, as perceived by both patients and clinicians, while patients are waitlisted for services and using AmDTx (compared to placebo control). This will enable us to improve the qualtiy of care at both institutions.

The study will also allow the investigators to evaluate the association between clinical symptom severity and healthcare utilisation with use of AmDTx (compared to placebo control), this will futher guide the future triaging of patients to these healthcare institutions based on their severity of symptoms as detected with the use of the application. This will ensure a more robust and efficient triaging process that caters more to more sevely unwell patients.

Inclusion Criteria:

• -Waitlisted for outpatient psychosocial programming or psychiatric services at IMH or SGH
• Age range: IMH: 13 and above; SGH: 21 and above
• Language: Fluency in English (to complete assessments)
• Understanding and willingness to comply with study requirements / capable of providing informed consent (e.g., autonomously or with guardian support)
• Comfortable with smartphone or tablet, downloading and running the AmDTx platform, and at least periodic access to the internet.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Any known practical factors that would preclude participation (e.g., extended absences) in the study.
• Serious medical condition that precludes participation in this study.
• Intellectual disability (as evidenced by attending a special school for intellectual disability)
• Participation in another treatment/intervention study.