Bridging the Gap: Improving Mental Health Application Engagement

• Applicant: Dr. Julian Herpertz
• Subject Area: Public Health, Healthcare Research, Social and Occupational Medicine ; Clinical Psychiatry, Psychotherapy, Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Term: since 2025
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 558131121

Mental health disorders affect nearly 1 billion people globally, with rising prevalence and insufficient access to treatment. Despite being one of the countries with the highest expenditure on mental health care, Germany faces significant challenges in service provision, including long waiting times for treatment. While not intended to replace professional clinical services, digital mental health applications show promise as accessible, cost-effective interventions. However, these apps face challenges related to user engagement, quality assurance, and an overwhelming number of options that make it difficult to identify the most suitable program. This project aims to enhance the effectiveness and adoption of mental health apps by leveraging Mindapps—a comprehensive app evaluation tool developed by the Division of Digital Psychiatry at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC), Harvard Medical School. Mindapps simplifies the process to find the most suitable mental health app by leveraging filters that let users and clinicians declare their priorities. Questionnaires collected by Mindapps make it possible to track decision-making and user behavior in real time. The 18-month project consists of two phases: At BIDMC, the applicant will analyze Mindapps' user data to identify predictors of app downloads, engagement, and efficiency based on app features and user demographics. The applicant will examine differences in preferences, user behavior and app efficiency among users with affective disorders (N>100), schizophrenia spectrum disorders (N>100), and those without diagnosed conditions (N>100). At the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy of the University of Jena, the applicant will adapt the Mindapps database for the German context, creating a culturally-appropriate, comprehensive mental health app evaluation framework for Germany. The project will provide crucial insights into factors driving mental health app engagement and efficacy across diverse user groups. By developing an evidence-based app evaluation system for Germany, the applicant aims to improve app selection, increase user adoption, and ultimately enhance mental healthcare delivery through digital means. This research will impact various stakeholders: informing developers about user needs, aiding clinicians in understanding factors influencing adherence, and empowering individuals suffering from a mental disorder to manage their well-being effectively. The project bridges the gap between technological capabilities and real-world application of digital mental health interventions, addressing critical needs in the evolving landscape of digital psychiatry.

• DFG Programme: WBP Position