Can a Mobile App Break Depression Cycle? New Study Reveals

A Game-Changer for Depression? Breaking the Cycle: Gamified App Shows Lasting Relief from Depression

2024-11-12 Source: JMIR Publications 2 min Reading Time

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Could a mobile app break the cycle of negative thinking that fuels depression? A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research reveals promising results from a gamified digital health intervention designed at Harvard Medical School.

A new study demonstratesthe effectiveness of a gamified app in easing depression symptoms by breaking negative thought patterns.(Source: Unsplash; Copyright: Anthony Tran; License: Licensed by JMIR) — A new study demonstratesthe effectiveness of a gamified app in easing depression symptoms by breaking negative thought patterns.
(Source: Unsplash; Copyright: Anthony Tran; License: Licensed by JMIR)

A new study published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research by JMIR Publications reveals promising results from a digital health intervention that is based on a decade of research at Harvard Medical School and designed to alleviate depressive symptoms. The study, titled “Facilitating Thought Progression to Reduce Depressive Symptoms: Randomized Controlled Trial,” found that participants experienced substantial reduction of depressive symptoms by using a gamified mobile app focused on disrupting ruminative thinking.

Led by Prof. Moshe Bar and colleagues, the research focused on a new gamified approach to target ruminative thinking — a major contributor to depression. The app used in this study includes five mini-games designed to help users break negative thought cycles, encouraging flexible thought progression.

Over the 8-week randomized controlled trial, conducted at the Massachusetts General Hospital, participants using the app showed faster and more substantial symptom improvement than those not using the app, based on weekly clinician evaluations throughout the study. Additionally, the positive effects of using the app were still evident up to 4 weeks after the study ended, indicating the potential long-lasting impact of the app.

“After demonstrating in the laboratory the striking effect of facilitating thought progression on mood, we now reveal that implementing this neuroscience-based approach in a digital app can provide a most viable path for the alleviation of depression symptoms,” reported Prof. Moshe Bar.

This study shows that a gamified app can offer a unique and potent way to break negative thought cycles by facilitating the progression of thought. By implementing effective therapy that is both engaging and accessible, this science-based gamified approach can complement traditional treatment methods for depression.

Original Article: Yatziv S, Pedrelli P, Baror S, DeCaro S, Shachar N, Sofer B, Hull S, Curtiss J, Bar M. Facilitating Thought Progression to Reduce Depressive Symptoms: Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2024;26:e56201

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Date: 08.12.2025

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