Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Mobile Mental Well-being Program (Noom Mood): Single-Arm Prospective Cohort Study

Meaghan McCallum; Annabell Suh Ho; Ellen Siobhan Mitchell; Christine N May; Heather Behr; Lorie Ritschel; Kirk Mochrie; Andreas Michaelides

doi:10.2196/36794

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Preliminary Outcomes of a Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Based Mobile Mental Well-being Program (Noom Mood): Single-Arm Prospective Cohort Study

JMIR Form Res. 2022 Apr 15;6(4):e36794. doi: 10.2196/36794.

Authors

Meaghan McCallum¹, Annabell Suh Ho¹, Ellen Siobhan Mitchell¹, Christine N May¹, Heather Behr^{1

2}, Lorie Ritschel^{3

4}, Kirk Mochrie³, Andreas Michaelides¹

Affiliations

¹ Academic Research, Noom Inc, New York, NY, United States.
² Department of Integrative Health, Saybrook University, Pasadena, CA, United States.
³ Triangle Area Psychology Clinic, Durham, NC, United States.
⁴ School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.

PMID: 35436218
PMCID: PMC9055471
DOI: 10.2196/36794

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of anxiety, depression, and general distress has risen in recent years. Mobile mental health programs have been found to provide support to nonclinical populations and may overcome some of the barriers associated with traditional in-person treatment; however, researchers have voiced concerns that many publicly available mobile mental health programs lack evidence-based theoretical foundations, peer-reviewed research, and sufficient engagement from the public.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of Noom Mood, a commercial mobile cognitive behavioral therapy- and mindfulness-based program.

Methods: In this single-arm prospective cohort study, individuals who joined Noom Mood between August and October 2021 completed surveys at baseline and 4-week follow-up. Per-protocol analyses included those who completed both surveys (n=113), and intention-to-treat analyses included all participants (N=185).

Results: A majority of the sample reported that the program is easy to use, they felt confident recommending the program to a friend, and they perceived the program to be effective at improving stress and anxiety. There were significant improvements in anxiety symptoms, perceived stress, depressive feelings, emotion regulation, and optimism in both the per-protocol and intention-to-treat analyses (all P<.001). Participants reported benefiting most from learning skills (eg, breathing and cognitive reframing techniques), interacting with the program features, and gaining awareness of their emotions and thought patterns. Participants also made a number of suggestions to improve product functionality and usability.

Conclusions: Results suggest that Noom Mood is feasible and acceptable to participants, with promising preliminary outcomes. Future studies should build on these results to evaluate the effects of Noom Mood using more rigorous designs.

Keywords: anxiety; mHealth; mental health; mobile mental health; stress.

©Meaghan McCallum, Annabell Suh Ho, Ellen Siobhan Mitchell, Christine N May, Heather Behr, Lorie Ritschel, Kirk Mochrie, Andreas Michaelides. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 15.04.2022.