Patient and therapist experiences of using a smartphone application monitoring anxiety symptoms

A smartphone application (app) from the company Monsenso was developed to monitor anxiety symptoms in the treatment of anxiety disorders as an alternative to paper registrations. The aim of the study was to explore patient and therapist experiences of using the app in conjunction with standard treatment for anxiety disorder in a developmental and implementation phase.

The study design was qualitative. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three therapists and seven patients from an outpatient clinic. The interviews were analysed using thematic analysis.

Three main themes emerged for both patients and therapists. The patient themes were usability (it was easier to use the app and remember daily mood registrations), insight in own disorder (awareness of symptom progress), and support to use the app (support from the therapist was wanted). The therapist themes were therapeutic quality (app registrations made it easier to prepare sessions), the role of the therapist (enthusiasm and technical assistance affected the patient), and implementation challenges (time allocation is important).

The anxiety monitoring app is recommended in standard treatment as an alternative to paper registrations. However, a successful development and implementation process include ready available technical support, time allocation, and therapist effort and enthusiasm.