Evaluation of a smartphone app to support low mood and worry in female armed forces veterans in Great Britain
This online study is exploring a new smartphone app, called Iona FFV, designed to help female military veterans in the UK who are dealing with low mood or worry. While there's lots of support and research for male veterans, female veterans sometimes miss out, leading to unequal access to care. This small study aims to see if it's possible to run a bigger study on the app's usefulness and how much people like using it. Participants will use an app for about 10 minutes a day over six weeks. Some will get the Iona FFV app, which uses talking therapy techniques, while others will use a basic relaxation app. The goal is to understand how well the study runs and if the app helps improve mood and reduce worry.
At a glance
What is this study about?
This study is all about helping female military veterans in the UK who are struggling with low mood or worry. We know that leaving the armed forces can be tough, and sometimes it affects people's emotional well-being. While there's been a lot of focus on supporting male veterans, research and support for female veterans haven't always kept pace. This means that female veterans might not always get the same level of care for conditions like depression and anxiety.
That's where this study comes in. We're looking at a smartphone app called Iona FFV, which uses techniques from a type of talking therapy called Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). The main aim of this small study isn't just to see if the app works, but also to understand if it's practical to run a much larger study in the future. We want to find out the best way to do this, how many people might want to take part, and how much they actually use and like the app.
By taking part, you'd be helping us learn how to better support female veterans in the future. Your experiences will guide whether a bigger study can happen, making sure new tools like this app can reach the people who need them most.
Key takeaways
- Study for female UK military veterans struggling with low mood or worry.
- Investigates a smartphone app (Iona FFV) using talking therapy approaches.
- Entirely online, involving daily app use for six weeks.
- Aims to see if a bigger study on the app is feasible.
- Participants receive an Amazon voucher for taking part.
- You can leave the study at any point.
Who may be eligible?
This study is looking for female veterans aged 18 or over who have served in the British armed forces and live in Great Britain. You should be experiencing some difficulties with low mood or worry, but not severe mental health problems, such as a history of psychosis or drug/alcohol dependency. You'll need to have your own smartphone and be able to read and understand English.
Crucially, you shouldn't be receiving other mental health support during the study, and you shouldn't have started or changed antidepressant medication in the last month. We also can't include you if your low mood or worry is very mild, or if it's very severe and carries a high risk to your safety. We'll ask you some questions to check if you meet all these requirements before you start.
Could this study suit you?
Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.
- Are you a female veteran who served in the British armed forces and live in Great Britain?
- Are you 18 years old or older?
- Do you own a smartphone and have internet access?
- Are you experiencing low mood or worry (but not severe mental health issues)?
- Have you NOT started or changed antidepressant medication in the last month?
- Are you currently NOT receiving other mental health support?
What does participation involve?
If you decide to take part, the entire study will happen online. First, you'll complete some questionnaires to make sure you're a good fit for the study. If you are, you'll then be randomly placed into one of two groups. You won't get to choose which group you're in, and the researchers won't know which group you're in either, to keep things fair.
One group will use the 'Iona FFV' app for about 10 minutes each day over six weeks. This app will help you with low mood and worry using methods from talking therapy. The other group will use a different app that looks similar but offers simple relaxation exercises and a dream diary instead of therapy. After six weeks, we'll ask you to fill out some more questionnaires, and then again four weeks later. If you were in the group using the relaxation app, you'll be given the chance to try the Iona FFV app after the study ends. You can decide to leave the study at any time.
Potential risks and benefits
Locations (1)
- OnlineUnverifiedN/A NO COUNTRY SPECIFIED, assuming England, England
Common questions
What is the Iona FFV app?
It's a smartphone app designed to help female military veterans manage low mood and worry, using techniques from talking therapy (Cognitive Behavioural Therapy).
Do I need to go anywhere for this study?
No, the entire study is done online. You'll complete questionnaires and use the app from your own home, at your own pace.
What if the app doesn't help me?
The study aims to see if the app is useful. If it doesn't help you, there are no known risks, and you can withdraw from the study at any time. If you got the relaxation app, you'll have the chance to try the Iona FFV app after the study.
Who is funding this study?
The Office for Veterans' Affairs in the UK is providing the funding for this research.
When does the study finish?
The study is expected to run from October 2023 to November 2025.
How to find out more
Melika Janbakhsh
Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.
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