Mobile Applications in Mental Health: A Systematic Review of Efficacy

Abstract

In recent years, the number of smart phone applications developed for physical and mental health has been rapidly increasing. The rapid growth in the use of smart phone applications provides an alternative and supportive option for the treatment of mental illnesses. The aim of this systematic review is to investigate the effectiveness of mobile applications related to mental health by using randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Within the scope of the study, English articles published in several databases were searched using specific terms. Twelve eligible studies fulfilling the research criteria were evaluated in terms of contents, sampling, study method and findings of the applications. The findings of the current studies revealed that mobile applications are generally effective in reducing the symptoms of the mental illness and feasibility and usability of smart phone applications were reported by participants.

Keywords

• ruh sağlığı
• smart phone
• mobile applications
• app