Hoa Ly*, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, Linköping, Sweden Naira Topooco-Hjalmarsson, Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Center for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden Jan Bergström, Department of Psychology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden Hanna Cederlund, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, Linköping, Sweden Anna Wallin, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, Linköping, Sweden Olof Molander, Wemind Psykiatri Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden, Stockholm, Sweden Gerhard Andersson, Department of Behavioural Sciences and Learning, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden, Linköping, Sweden Track: Research Presentation Topic: Mobile & Tablet Health Applications Presentation Type: Oral presentation Submission Type: Single Presentation Building: Sheraton Maui Resort Room: A - Wailuku Date: 2014-11-13 02:00 PM – 02:45 PM Last modified: 2014-09-04

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In light of the research support for behavioral activation, and the promising findings of smartphone-delivered psychological interventions in the treatment of depression, we evaluated a smartphone depression application as an adjunct to four face-to-face sessions (blended therapy) for mild to moderate depression. The blended therapy was compared to a full 10-session treatment with no support from a smartphone.

This was a non-inferiority study with unrestricted randomization in a 1:1 ratio. The study was conducted at three clinics in Sweden. 45 participants diagnosed with major depressive disorder received the blended treatment, and 43 participants received the full 10-session treatment. Main outcome measures were the BDI-II and the PHQ-9.

Results showed no significant interaction effects of group and time on any of the outcome measures neither from pre-treatment to post-treatment nor from pre-treatment to the 6-month follow up. The average therapist time per participant for the blended treatment was 291 minutes, which was a reduction of time with 44.6 % compared to the full 10-session program.


We assume that the reduction of sessions while still having the therapist highly involved in the treatment will have implications for the planning of psychological services. Moreover, from a theoretical point of view, the trial could be important as it tests the possibility to integrate modern information technology with face-to-face therapy.


Since the two treatments yielded equivalent outcomes and at the same time, the blended treatment reduced the therapist time with an average of 44.6 %, this could have important implications from a societal perspective.