A Gamified Digital Mental Health Intervention for Child Anxiety
This research study examines user perceptions of Anchors Away, a gamified digital mental health intervention for child anxiety. This family-friendly mobile application is designed to overcome barriers to treatment by delivering evidence-based CBT strategies directly to children and their parents. We are recruiting child/parent dyads. Participant dyads will use the app, then share their experience and offer feedback. It is our hope that this research will bridge that critical gap in pediatric anxiety treatment access by supporting the development of Anchors Away. (Principal Investigator: Joseph McGuire, Ph.D.; IRB00590315)
Is my child eligible to participate?
- Be between 7-11 years of age
- Anxiety Symptoms
- Has access to a compatible iOS/Android device
Overview of Study Procedures
Phone Screen
The phone screen will allow us to learn more about your child to help us determine if the study will be a good fit. The initial intake phone call may take up to 30 minutes.
Visit 1
At the initial visit to the Johns Hopkins East Baltimore campus, you and your child will complete the consent process and download the Anchors Away app. You will be assisted in setting up linked parent/child accounts and navigating the application.
Asynchronous use
Between visits, you will be expected to interact with the app and complete all the “missions” at your own pace. The entire duration of app-play to complete the missions is estimated to be ~2 hours.
Visit 2
This visit includes a qualitative interview to examine your experience and observations from using the application. You will also complete two surveys about your usability experience and general attitudes toward digital mental health applications.
Funding Source: COACH Gift Fund (made possible by generous donations from patients, participants, and families who have received care through our program)