What is a Credibility rating?

PsyberGuide rates the research and support basis backing the product on the following subscales. Scores are represented on a 5-point scale to allow comparison across metrics (e.g. User Experience).

Research Base

Total points:  3

  • 3 points: Strong research support for the product
     At least two good between-group design experiments must demonstrate efficacy in terms of superiority to placebo or other treatment, equivalence to already established treatment or a large series of single-case design experiments must demonstrate efficacy, sample must be clearly defined and appropriate
  • 2 points: Some good research on the product
    Two experiments that show experiment is superior to waitlist control or one experiment that meets 3 point criteria
  • 1 point: Low quality research on the product
    Single case designs or other quasi-experimental methods demonstrating efficacy
  • 0 points: No research

Research Funding

Total points:  2

  • 2 points: At least one research paper funded by government agency (e.g. NIH) or non-profit organization
  • 1 point: All research funded primarily by for-profit organizations or combined funding sources
  • 0 points: No information about source of funding for the research

Proposed Intervention

Total points:  3

  • 3 points: The application is designed to improve a specific condition or symptom
  • 2 points: The application is designed to help with non-specific items such as “mood” or “brain fitness” 
  • 1 point: The application is designed to track and monitor items such as symptom severity or medication compliance
  • 0 points: The application does not have a proposed purposed or mechanism of action.

Consumer Ratings

Total points:  3

  • 3 points: ratings exist from >1500 users
  • 2 points: ratings exist from 101-1500 users
  • 1 point: fewer than 100 user ratings
  • 0 points: No user ratings

Clinical Input in Development

Total points:  1

  • 1 point: Developer has an advisory board with clinical thought leader input

Software Support

Total points:  2

  • 2 points: The application has been revised within the last 6 months
  • 1 points: The application has been revised within the last 12 months