App-Based Coaching Program to Improve Mental Well-Being

Medical University Innsbruck25 enrolled

Overview

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if a coach-guided, app-based mental health program can improve well-being and reduce psychological distress in adults experiencing elevated stress levels. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Does the beWell Tirol program show high usability and participant satisfaction? * Does participation in the program lead to improvements in psychological distress, resilience, self-efficacy, coping strategies, emotion regulation, and quality of life? Participants will: * Complete a 4-month digital mental health program using the beWell Tirol app * Attend bi-weekly video coaching sessions with a trained psychologist * Choose individualized cognitive-behavioral exercises within the app * Complete questionnaires at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Conditions

Psychological Distress

Interventions

This intervention is a 4-month digital mental health program with coaching. Participants use a mobile app that provides access to psychoeducational content, interactive cognitive-behavioral exercises, digital diaries, and self-monitoring tools. The program includes individualized exercise selection, where participants choose exercises every two weeks in collaboration with a trained coach. The intervention also incorporates bi-weekly 20-30 minute video coaching sessions, delivered within the app, to support motivation, clarify questions, and tailor the training plan. Exercises include relaxation techniques, mindfulness exercises, positive psychology activities, journaling tools, daily structuring tasks, and problem-solving strategies.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults (≥ 18 years) * Living in Tyrol (Austria) or South Tyrol (Italy) * Elevated psychological distress (Brief Symptom Inventory / BSCL Global Severity Index T-score \> 60 based on age and gender) * Sufficient German language skills to use the app and complete questionnaires * Access to a smartphone or tablet and the internet * Willing and able to participate in the 4-month digital program and follow-up assessments * Provided written informed consent Exclusion Criteria: * Non-German-speaking individuals * Acute psychiatric crisis or acute suicidality requiring immediate face-to-face treatment * Any condition that, in the judgment of the investigators, would prevent safe participation or the completion of the app-based intervention (e.g., severe cognitive impairment)

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Usability of the digital mental health program

Usability will be assessed using the System Usability Scale (SUS), a 10-item validated questionnaire measuring perceived usability of digital systems. Scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better usability.

Time frame: Right after the intervention ended

Secondary Outcomes

Participant satisfaction

Satisfaction will be measured using a 10-item participant satisfaction questionnaire assessing overall satisfaction, perceived usefulness, impact on well-being, and coach satisfaction. Items are rated on a 4-point Likert scale (strongly disagree to strongly agree). Higher scores indicate greater satisfaction.

Time frame: Right after the intervention ended

Psychological distress

Psychological distress will be measured with the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10), which assesses whether individuals perceive situations in their lives as excessively uncontrollable and overwhelming. Scores ranging from 0 to 13 indicate low stress, scores ranging from 14 to 26 indicate moderate stress, and scores ranging from 27 to 40 indicate high perceived stress.