ePST

Stress Reduction Audio is designed to provide users with brief audio tracks for stress relief. Each day, the app provides a new “stress reduction tip” for the user (examples include “how to eat well”, and “how to start a sleep routine”). The app consists of two pages – one that provides audio relaxation tracks called of up to 15 minutes in length. An additional audio track is only available in the paid version of the app. The second app page includes a sleep timer that will stop the audio track after a user-specified time period.
Available for: Android 2.3 and up
Developer: Mindware Consulting, Inc
Type of Treatment: Mindfulness, Psychoeducation & Information
Targeted Conditions: Stress and Anxiety
Target Audience: Adults
Designed to be used in conjunction with a professional? No
Languages Available: English
Cost: Free with in-app purchases
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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