Cognitive behavioral therapy app found to reduce anxiety in young adults

Researchers from Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian found that a self-guided cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) app called Maya significantly reduced anxiety in young adults struggling with mental health conditions. The reduction in anxiety symptoms was clinically and statistically significant after six weeks and continued into the 12-week follow-up period with improvement levels comparable to studies of anti-anxiety medications.

The study, published August 20 in JAMA Network Openedlooked at how young adults ages 18 to 25 would respond to CBT from an app called Maya, which researchers at Weill Cornell Medicine began developing in 2019 in collaboration with members of Weill Cornell Information Technologies & Services.

CBT is a gold standard psychotherapeutic intervention that provides users with skills to support them in changing their thinking, completing challenging behaviors, and learning coping skills. Almost all 59 participants, 98%, took part in the full six weeks of the main study period, completing an average of around 11 of the 12 intervention sessions.

While Maya is not a replacement for seeking professional help, it teaches strategies based on CBT. The app offers skill-building tools and real-time feedback that can help reduce stress and negative thoughts.

“We hear a lot about the negative impact of technology use on mental health in this age group,” said the study’s lead author, Dr. Faith M. Gunning, an associate professor of psychology in psychiatry and vice chair of the research team in the Department of Psychiatry at Weill Cornell Medicine.

“But the ubiquitous use of mobile phones for information may be a way to address anxiety for some people who, even if they have access to mental health providers, may not go. If the app helps reduce symptoms, perhaps they can take the next step to see a mental health professional when needed.”

Addressing Anxiety in Young Adults

Maya is designed to address anxiety in early adulthood, when people are going through stressful changes such as starting a new job, moving away from home, or graduating from college. Research has shown that anxiety disorders are more common among young people between the ages of 18 and 25 than in any other age group.

Maya is an interactive platform that guides users through videos, exercises, and educational content to support them in learning and implementing new skills. While CBT techniques have been effective in treating anxiety symptoms, the researchers note that a shortage of available clinicians has made it difficult to find appointments, especially since the pandemic. In the meantime, a self-guided mobile app could help until a mental health clinician is available, and could appeal to a younger population comfortable with digital tools.

“We think these apps have promise, but they are only useful if people actually use them,” said co-first author Dr. Jennifer N. Bress, Peter Edwin Stokes, MD Clinical Scholar in Psychobiology, assistant professor of psychology at Weill Cornell Medicine and a psychologist at New York Presbyterian Westchester Behavioral Health.

“We wanted to develop an evidence-based app to empirically investigate whether we were actually engaging people and addressing their anxiety.” While there is ample evidence from clinical studies that CBT is effective in treating anxiety, testing the app itself through clinical trials is an important step to ensure its effectiveness.

Because people often download an app, try it a few times, and then delete it, this app added features to encourage engagement, such as interactive exercises, videos, and a user interface that test groups found visually appealing.