Mobile Applications for Schizophrenia Treatment

Bridget Dwyer, John Torous (MD), Elena Perlmutter

Division of Digital Psychiatry, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School

Abstract

Background: Common barriers among schizophrenia treatment include medication non-adherence and lack of access to clinically relevant psychoeducation and tools for daily symptom management. Additionally, early-onset schizophrenia is associated with poorer clinical outcomes, higher rates of treatment resistance, and diagnostic delay among providers. Mental health applications have the potential to target the aforementioned barriers and increase access to care for individuals experiencing psychosis, including those with early-onset psychotic symptoms. However, the marketplace for clinically relevant, schizophrenia-specific applications is limited. A 2022 study revealed that of the 537 schizophrenia-specific applications available to download, only six were deemed clinically relevant. More specifically, the marketplace for youth experiencing psychosis is even more limited.
Methods: In order to deliver higher quality, more accessible care to individuals experiencing psychosis and specifically target youth demographics, it is necessary to build clinically relevant apps that are publicly available to download from the Apple and Android marketplaces. While research efforts surrounding app development are evident, adaptation from research to marketplace should be facilitated.
Results: Such applications should incorporate reminders to promote medication adherence, research-backed psychoeducation, and sustainable interventions to aid in daily symptom management, such as personalized toolkits. Features of personalized tool kits should include but not be limited to: journaling, meditating, goal-setting, and mood/symptom/sleep/exercise/ tracking.
Discussion: While digital interventions have the potential to transform mental healthcare and access to psychosis treatment, significant efforts toward implementation must be considered beforehand. In order to support its scalability, there must be concomitant workforce training and a clinically supported infrastructure.