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Although smartphone apps are widely used in mental health practice, few studies have meaningfully evaluated their utility. In this first-ever rigorous evaluation of a mobile app for symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), investigators used advertisements to recruit adults meeting screening criteria for PTSD.
The 120 participants (mean age, 39; women, 69%; white race, 67%) were randomized to 3 months of treatment with PTSD Coach, a free app for Android or Apple devices developed by Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs, or to a waiting list. Not intended to replace professional care, the app offers psychoeducation, symptom assessment checklists, evidence-based self-management tools (e.g., relationship exercises, stress inocul…