The University of Macau (UM) and New York University Shanghai (NYU Shanghai) have jointly developed a mobile application for mental health intervention called ‘Step-by-Step’ (SbS), the latest research results of which were released on the UM Hengqin campus yesterday, according to a UM statement.
A large-scale randomised controlled trial ran for one year with a total of 371 participants, adding that data from the study shows that participants rated the effectiveness of the intervention by the app in reducing stress at seven out of ten, with more than half of the participants feeling that they had acquired new knowledge and skills in managing their emotions, making plans, and overcoming negative emotions.
According to the statement, the results show that SbS is effective in alleviating depressive symptoms among ethnic Chinese university students in the short term and improving their psychological well-being in the long term, pointing to a promising future for digital mental health intervention.
The statement said the research team spent several months conducting interviews with focus groups in order to enhance the elements of SbS, including stories, visuals, and linguistic content, and making necessary adaptations to suit the Chinese context.
According to the statement, “Step-by-Step” is an English-language digital mental health intervention application developed by the World Health Organisation (WHO). It teaches users behavioural activation and stress management strategies through the illustrated story of a person who has learnt ways to cope with stress, anxiety, and depression.
In addition, users can receive 15 to 20 minutes of guidance per week via phone or chat messaging from online peer supporters, who are trained and supervised non-mental health professionals, the statement said.
The digital mental health intervention app used in the trial is its latest Chinese version. With the support of UM, the app was introduced to Macau in 2020, with other language versions available for different ethnic groups.
Research team members, including former lawmaker Agnes Lam Iok Fong (eighth from left, second row), and student helpers pose during the mental health intervention mobile application “Step-by-Step’ (SbS)” press conference held yesterday at the University of Macau (UM) campus.
– Photo: UM
