@Article{info:doi/10.2196/63316,
author="Lee Yoon Li, Madeline
and Lee Si Min, Stephanie
and S{\"u}ndermann, Oliver",
title="Efficacy of the mHealth App Intellect in Improving Subclinical Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial With a 4-Week Follow-Up",
journal="JMIR Mhealth Uhealth",
year="2024",
month="Dec",
day="16",
volume="12",
pages="e63316",
keywords="mobile health app; self-guided interventions; obsessive-compulsive disorder; cognitive behavioral therapy; maladaptive perfectionism; randomized controlled trial; behavioral; efficacy; mHealth app; university students; Singapore; symptoms",
abstract="Background: Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is the third most prevalent mental health disorder in Singapore, with a high degree of burden and large treatment gaps. Self-guided programs on mobile apps are accessible and affordable interventions, with the potential to address subclinical OCD before symptoms escalate. Objective: This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the efficacy of a self-guided OCD program on the mobile health (mHealth) app Intellect in improving subclinical OCD and maladaptive perfectionism (MP) as a potential moderator of this predicted relationship. Methods: University students (N=225) were randomly assigned to an 8-day, self-guided app program on OCD (intervention group) or cooperation (active control). Self-reported measures were obtained at baseline, after the program, and at a 4-week follow-up. The primary outcome measure was OCD symptom severity (Obsessive Compulsive Inventory--Revised [OCI-R]). Baseline MP was assessed as a potential moderator. Depression, anxiety, and stress (Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales-21) were controlled for during statistical analyses. Results: The final sample included 192 participants. The intervention group reported significantly lower OCI-R scores compared with the active control group after the intervention (partial eta-squared [$\eta$p2]=0.031; P=.02) and at 4-week follow-up ($\eta$p2=0.021; P=.044). A significant, weak positive correlation was found between MP and OCI-R levels at baseline (r=0.28; P<.001). MP was not found to moderate the relationship between condition and OCI-R scores at postintervention (P=.70) and at 4-week follow-up (P=.88). Conclusions: This study provides evidence that the self-guided OCD program on the Intellect app is effective in reducing subclinical OCD among university students in Singapore. Future studies should include longer follow-up durations and study MP as a moderator in a broader spectrum of OCD symptom severity. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06202677; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06202677 ",
issn="2291-5222",
doi="10.2196/63316",
url="https://mhealth.jmir.org/2024/1/e63316",
url="https://doi.org/10.2196/63316"
}