Total score: 5/14
Research Base Score: 0/3
Research Funding Score: 0/2
Specificity of Intervention Score: 2/3
Clinical Input Score: 0/1
Consumer Ratings Score: 3/3
Software Support Score: 0/2
Overall Score: Unacceptable
Does the app have a privacy policy?:No/Can’t Tell
Does the privacy policy state that the app does not collect data?:No/Can’t Tell
Learn more about the Transparency Rating
This app aims to teach methods of relaxation and meditation. There are four main tabs: Info, Articles, Audios, and Videos. The ‘Info’ tab provides an overview of the application and answers frequently asked questions. ‘Articles’ provides short informational articles about meditation, mindfulness, stress and cognitive behavioral principles.‘Audios’ has four categories of tracks: Relaxation, relaxation for children, emotion/stress training, and mindfulness training. The ‘Video’s tab provides similarly themed videos that range from 5-10 minutes in length.
Available for: Android 2.3 or later
Developer: Excel At Life
Type of Treatment: Cognitive Behavioral Principles, Mindfulness, Psychoeducation/Informational
Targeted Conditions: Stress & Anxiety
Target Audience: Adults, Adolescents, Children
Designed to be used in conjunction with a healthcare professional: No
Languages Available: English
Cost: Free
Get it on: Google Play
There are no RCTs of this mobile app. Mindfulness-based therapy has evidence as an intervention for a variety of mental health problems. A meta-analysis considering 209 studies found that Mindfulness-based therapy reduced severity of anxiety, stress and depressive symptoms amongst adults (Khoury et al., 2013). This smartphone application has not been investigated in an RCT, however one study examined the effects of a similar mindfulness based app AEON after 4 weeks of everyday use (Chittaro & Vianello, 2015). They found that novice meditators significantly increased their levels of mindfulness over the four weeks, and most users indicated the app eliciting positive feelings in them. A meta-analysis reviewed 15 RCTs of adults receiving workbook and audio CD or web-based self-help mindfulness or acceptance-based intervention, with no or reduced therapist support (Cavanagh et al., 2014). They found that mindfulness-or acceptance-based self-help interventions resulted in fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms as compared to the control groups.
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We look at the research supporting the technology and the credibility of the development process.
We review privacy policies to see if key pieces of information about what happens with entered data are addressed.
We explore how fun, functional, easy-to-use, engaging, and interesting the technology is.
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