Clinical Investigation of Syndi
- Conditions
- Mental Health IssueAnxietyDepression
- Interventions
- Device: Syndi recommender system for mental health apps
- Registration Number
- NCT06451549
- Lead Sponsor
- Newcastle University
- Brief Summary
Mental health concerns are a growing global concern, but support can still be difficult to access. Digital health technologies can help people access support, but with over 10,000 mental health apps available, it can be difficult to choose one that is safe, effective, and personalised. Syndi is a digital health platform that uses a machine learning system to provide personalised recommendations of mental health apps. This study aims to examine the impact of Syndi and its recommendations on the mental health and well-being of people with mental health concerns.
The investigators will use the standard National Health Service (NHS) Talking Therapies measures of anxiety and depression, as well as additional measures of wellbeing and functional impairment to look at the impact of Syndi on patients' mental well-being. The investigators will also look at user experience with Syndi using a survey. Users' engagement with Syndi and its recommended apps will be assessed using a short survey and some participants will be randomly selected for an interview so the investigators can get a better understanding of what people liked and disliked about using the platform and why.
The investigators expect that the project will show that using Syndi helps improve mental well-being in people with mental health concerns. If the study shows this positive impact, this will provide evidence to support the use of Syndi to improve the accessibility of mental health support in clinical pathways. The investigators will publish the results of the study in academic journals as well as in more accessible platforms.
- Detailed Description
Not available
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- WITHDRAWN
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 500
- Based in the UK
- Referred or self-referred to proceed through the standard NHS Talking Therapies care pathway OR people with mental health concerns looking for app recommendations online;
- Willing and able to provide informed consent;
- Aged 18 years or older;
- Able to speak English;
- Have access to the internet and own a smartphone.
- Patients with a PHQ-9 score >=20
- Patients with suicidal ideation measured as an answer of 'YES' to any question in the Columbia Suicide Severity Rating Scale (C-SSRS);
- Incapable of self-consent;
- In a dependent/unequal relationship with the research or care teams or any PPI representatives.
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- SINGLE_GROUP
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Syndi recommender system for mental health apps Syndi recommender system for mental health apps Syndi is a recommender system for mental health apps, delivered via a website. It guides users through a clinically-validated self-assessment and uses a machine learning system to provide personalised recommendations of independently-rated mental health tools.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Depression Severity 2 weeks and 3 months post-baseline Score on the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), total scores range from 0 to 27 (higher scores indicate more severe depression)
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Anxiety Severity 2 weeks and 3 months post-baseline Score on the Generalised Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), total scores range from 0 to 21 (higher scores indicate more severe anxiety)
Engagement with recommended apps 2 weeks post-baseline Self-report questionnaire about engagement with recommended apps (subjective, with questions about which apps were downloaded, how long they used it for, and how useful they found the app)
User perceptions of the recommended apps Semi-structured interview call, 2 months after start of the trial Qualitative feedback from semi-structured interviews about the apps recommended by Syndi
Mental Wellbeing 2 weeks and 3 months post-baseline Score on the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (SWEMWBS), total scores range from 7 to 35 (higher scores indicate better wellbeing)
Functional Impairment 2 weeks and 3 months post-baseline Score on the Work and Social Adjustment Scale (WSAS), total scores range from 0 to 40 (higher scores indicate higher functional impairment)
User experience with the Syndi recommender system Immediately after app recommendations and at 2 weeks post-baseline Score on a user experience questionnaire. Items were assessed individually on a scale from 1-5, with higher scores indicating better experience (negative items were reverse coded)
User perceptions of the system Semi-structured interview call, 2 months after start of the trial Qualitative feedback from semi-structured interviews about Syndi
Trial Locations
- Locations (4)
Pennine Care NHS Foundation Trust
🇬🇧Ashton under Lyne, Lancashire, United Kingdom
Newcastle University
🇬🇧Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, United Kingdom
Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust
🇬🇧Bodmin, United Kingdom
Devon Partnership NHS Trust
🇬🇧Exeter, United Kingdom