Abstract

Background: Mobile health applications (apps) are considered to complement traditional psychological treatments for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, the use for clinical practice and quality of available apps is unknown.

Objective: To assess the general characteristics, therapeutic background, content, and quality of apps for PTSD and to examine their concordance with established PTSD treatment and self-help methods.

Method: A web crawler systematically searched for apps targeting PTSD in the British Google Play and Apple iTunes stores. Two independent researchers rated the apps using the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS). The content of high-quality apps was checked for concordance with psychological treatment and self-help methods extracted from current literature on PTSD treatment.

Results: Out of 555 identified apps, 69 met the inclusion criteria. The overall app quality based on the MARS was medium (M = 3.36, SD = 0.65). Most apps (50.7%) were based on cognitive behavioural therapy and offered a wide range of content, including established psychological PTSD treatment methods such as processing of trauma-related emotions and beliefs, relaxation exercises, and psychoeducation. Notably, data protection and privacy standards were poor in most apps and only one app (1.4%) was scientifically evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.

Conclusions: High-quality apps based on established psychological treatment techniques for PTSD are available in commercial app stores. However, users are confronted with great difficulties in identifying useful high-quality apps and most apps lack an evidence-base. Commercial distribution channels do not exploit the potential of apps to complement the psychological treatment of PTSD.

Details

Title
‘Help for trauma from the app stores?’ A systematic review and standardised rating of apps for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Author
Lasse Bosse Sander 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Schorndanner, Johanna 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Terhorst, Yannik 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Spanhel, Kerstin 1   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Pryss, Rüdiger 3   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Baumeister, Harald 4   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Messner, Eva-Maria 4 

1  Institute of Psychology, Department of Rehabilitation Psychology and Psychotherapy, Albert-Ludwigs-University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany 
2  Institute of Psychology and Education, Department of Psychological Research Methods, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany; Institute of Psychology and Education, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany 
3  Institute of Clinical Epidemiology and Biometry, University of Würzburg, Würzburg, Germany 
4  Institute of Psychology and Education, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany 
Publication year
2020
Publication date
Dec 2020
Publisher
Taylor & Francis Ltd.
e-ISSN
20008066
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2019.1701788
ProQuest document ID
2492475443
Copyright
© 2020 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group. This work is licensed under the Creative Commons  Attribution – Non-Commercial License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.