Testing a Behavioral Activation Gaming App for Depression During Pregnancy: Multimethod Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Digital mental health
• Mobile health interventions
• Perinatal mental health

Background:

• Depression and anxiety are common during pregnancy, with significant risks for mother and child.
• Despite available treatments, many pregnant women do not receive mental health support.
• Mobile technology offers a promising avenue to improve access and engagement with mental health services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the satisfaction and engagement with "The Guardians," a mobile app utilizing behavioral activation principles and game mechanics.
• To explore changes in depression and anxiety symptoms among pregnant women using the app.

Main Methods:

• A multimethod pilot study involving 18 pregnant women with depressive symptoms.
• Participants completed biweekly depression and anxiety assessments (PHQ-9, GAD-7) and app satisfaction surveys.
• App engagement was tracked via game interaction metrics, with qualitative feedback gathered through exit interviews.

Main Results:

• The app demonstrated feasibility and acceptability, with retention rates exceeding those of previous public mental health apps.
• Significant reductions in depressive symptoms were observed, correlated with app engagement metrics and user satisfaction.
• Qualitative analysis revealed user feedback on app activities, design, and perceived impact on mood.

Conclusions:

• "The Guardians" shows promise as a feasible and acceptable digital intervention for pregnant women with depression.
• The app's engagement and retention levels are encouraging, suggesting potential for wider scalability.
• Use of the app was associated with a significant decrease in depressive symptom scores, highlighting its potential as an effective digital mental health tool.