ePST

“Take a Chill” aims to teach mindfulness skills and other tools to teenagers who need help managing stress & anxiety. There are two quick exercises called “Stop, Take a Moment” and “Prep, Center Yourself”, which both consist of up to eight written instructions with accompanying pictures to promote relaxation and breathing. There are six “Daily Dose” activities, one of which should be completed every day. These are activities which can be completed throughout the day – for example, the “Appreciation” exercise asks users to think about all of the things they appreciate about themselves and enter them into the app as they come to them throughout the day. There are two audio mindfulness tracks available (both about 3 minutes in length) and additional audio tracks can be purchased. In the “Progress” section of the app, users can track their progress and receive a daily motivational quote, which can be shared with friends via social media if desired. Users can set reminders for themselves to complete the various activities and add notes on any insights or ideas they want to make note of. A stress inventory allows users to determine their level of stress, and the score can be emailed to a point of contact (e.g. parent or teacher) or archived. The app is available on iTunes for a cost of $1.99.
Available for: iOS 4.0 or later (iPhone, iPad, iPod touch)
Developer: Channel Capital, LLC
Type of Treatment: Mindfulness
Targeted Conditions: Stress & Anxiety
Target Audience: Adolescents
Designed to be used in conjunction with a healthcare professional: No
Languages Available: English, German, Northern Sami, and Spanish
Cost: $1.99
Get it on: iTunes
While this app has not been specifically investigated, it is based on the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction for Teens (MBSR-T) program. In an RCT, 102 14-18 year olds were recruited through an outpatient child and adolescent psychiatry department and randomly assigned to the MBSR-T program or Treatment As Usual group (Biegel, Brown, Shapiro, & Schubert, 2009). The MBSR-T program consisted of eight weekly 2-hour classes. Relative to controls, those receiving the program self-reported reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression, and somatic distress, and increased self-esteem and sleep quality.
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