Breaking free from negative thoughts using a scientifically gamified app

(Toronto, November 11, 2024) 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 5 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

URL: https://www.jmir.org/2024/1/e56201.   DOI: 10.2196/56201

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About JMIR Publications:

JMIR Publications, celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2024, is a leading open access digital health research publisher. As a pioneer in open access publishing, JMIR Publications is committed to driving innovation in scholarly communications, advancing digital health research, and promoting open science principles. Our portfolio features 35 open access, peer-reviewed journals dedicated to the dissemination of high-quality research in the field of digital health, including the Journal of Medical Internet Research, as well as cross-disciplinary journals such as JMIR Research Protocols and the new title JMIR XR & Spatial Computing. 

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