A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial
Abstract BackgroundGratitude interventions are used to cultivate a sense of gratitude for life and others. There have been mixed results of the efficacy of gratitude interventions’ effect on psychological well-being with a variety of populations and methodologies....
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JMIR Publications
2025-01-01
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| Series: | JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| Online Access: | https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e53850 |
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| author | Chloë Fuller Silvia Marin-Dragu Ravishankar Subramani Iyer Sandra Melanie Meier |
| author_facet | Chloë Fuller Silvia Marin-Dragu Ravishankar Subramani Iyer Sandra Melanie Meier |
| author_sort | Chloë Fuller |
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Abstract
BackgroundGratitude interventions are used to cultivate a sense of gratitude for life and others. There have been mixed results of the efficacy of gratitude interventions’ effect on psychological well-being with a variety of populations and methodologies.
ObjectivesThe objective of our study was to test the effectiveness of a gratitude intervention smartphone app on university students’ psychological well-being.
MethodsWe used a randomized experimental design to test our objective. Participants were recruited undergraduate students from a web-based university study recruitment system. Participants completed 90 web-based survey questions on their emotional well-being and personality traits at the beginning and end of the 3-week research period. Their depression, anxiety, and stress levels were measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). After the baseline survey, participants were randomly assigned to either the control or the intervention. Participants in the intervention group used both a fully automated mobile sensing app and a gratitude intervention mobile iOS smartphone app designed for youth users and based on previous gratitude interventions and exercises. The gratitude intervention app prompted users to complete daily gratitude exercises on the app including a gratitude journal, a gratitude photo book, an imagine exercise, a speech exercise, and meditation. Participants in the control group used only the mobile sensing app, which passively collected smartphone sensory data on mobility, screen time, sleep, and social interactions.
ResultsA total of 120 participants met the inclusion criteria, and 27 were lost to follow-up for a total of 41 participants in the intervention group and 52 in the control group providing complete data. Based on clinical cutoffs from the baseline assessment, 56 out of 120 participants were identified as being in a subsample with at least moderate baseline symptomatology. Participants in the subsample with at least moderate baseline symptomatology reported significantly lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress postintervention (Cohen dPdPrPrP
ConclusionsUniversity students experiencing moderate to severe distress can benefit from a gratitude intervention smartphone app to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The number of times the gratitude intervention app was used is not related to well-being outcomes. Clinicians could look at incorporating gratitude apps with other mental health treatments or for those waitlisted as a cost-effective and minimally guided option for university students experiencing psychological distress. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-4dbc7e8337c54ec1b1a6eb4bdd6351f6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2291-5222 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | JMIR Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| spelling | doaj-art-4dbc7e8337c54ec1b1a6eb4bdd6351f62025-01-21T16:31:22ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR mHealth and uHealth2291-52222025-01-0113e53850e5385010.2196/53850A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled TrialChloë Fullerhttp://orcid.org/0009-0006-6955-365XSilvia Marin-Draguhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-1889-0377Ravishankar Subramani Iyerhttp://orcid.org/0000-0001-8381-8307Sandra Melanie Meierhttp://orcid.org/0000-0002-3287-5894 Abstract BackgroundGratitude interventions are used to cultivate a sense of gratitude for life and others. There have been mixed results of the efficacy of gratitude interventions’ effect on psychological well-being with a variety of populations and methodologies. ObjectivesThe objective of our study was to test the effectiveness of a gratitude intervention smartphone app on university students’ psychological well-being. MethodsWe used a randomized experimental design to test our objective. Participants were recruited undergraduate students from a web-based university study recruitment system. Participants completed 90 web-based survey questions on their emotional well-being and personality traits at the beginning and end of the 3-week research period. Their depression, anxiety, and stress levels were measured with the Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21). After the baseline survey, participants were randomly assigned to either the control or the intervention. Participants in the intervention group used both a fully automated mobile sensing app and a gratitude intervention mobile iOS smartphone app designed for youth users and based on previous gratitude interventions and exercises. The gratitude intervention app prompted users to complete daily gratitude exercises on the app including a gratitude journal, a gratitude photo book, an imagine exercise, a speech exercise, and meditation. Participants in the control group used only the mobile sensing app, which passively collected smartphone sensory data on mobility, screen time, sleep, and social interactions. ResultsA total of 120 participants met the inclusion criteria, and 27 were lost to follow-up for a total of 41 participants in the intervention group and 52 in the control group providing complete data. Based on clinical cutoffs from the baseline assessment, 56 out of 120 participants were identified as being in a subsample with at least moderate baseline symptomatology. Participants in the subsample with at least moderate baseline symptomatology reported significantly lower symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress postintervention (Cohen dPdPrPrP ConclusionsUniversity students experiencing moderate to severe distress can benefit from a gratitude intervention smartphone app to improve symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. The number of times the gratitude intervention app was used is not related to well-being outcomes. Clinicians could look at incorporating gratitude apps with other mental health treatments or for those waitlisted as a cost-effective and minimally guided option for university students experiencing psychological distress.https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e53850 |
| spellingShingle | Chloë Fuller Silvia Marin-Dragu Ravishankar Subramani Iyer Sandra Melanie Meier A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial JMIR mHealth and uHealth |
| title | A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full | A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_fullStr | A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_short | A Mobile App–Based Gratitude Intervention’s Effect on Mental Well-Being in University Students: Randomized Controlled Trial |
| title_sort | mobile app based gratitude intervention s effect on mental well being in university students randomized controlled trial |
| url | https://mhealth.jmir.org/2025/1/e53850 |
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