Mobile apps offer a virtual, easily accessible option for symptom-management and as an adjunct to face to face therapy. There are over 10,000 mental health apps with different apps for different problems. A recent review identified 69 apps for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), mostly based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). What little research exists has focused on these apps. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) relies at least in part on different mechanisms (dual focus of attention/bilateral stimulation exercises, titrated exposure, sensory tracking and somatic-based resourcing). Despite its unique characteristics and efficacy with PTSD, there has been no research regarding apps based on EMDR. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and potential effectiveness of four apps based on EMDR, The Healing Trauma App Series (HTAS) for management of PTSD symptoms. These apps target four of the primary symptoms of PTSD; anxiety/arousal, somatic symptoms, sleeping problems and effects on identity/self-confidence. Online advertising recruited 77 chronic PTSD/pain sufferers who were randomized to either the treatment group (n = 38) or a waitlist condition (n = 39). Participants in the treatment group were given the 4 apps which comprise the HTAS series and instructed to use them daily for 3 months as needed. Self-report measures of PTSD and somatic symptoms were conducted at baseline, post-treatment, and six months. Although the study suffered from high attrition, a common problem in app research, participants who used the apps for the treatment period experienced a significant reduction in their PTSD symptoms. Implications for app usage for symptom management independent of, or as an adjunct to therapy, together with design issues and future research, are discussed.

Although a range of digital mental health modalities are available, most leverage traditional computer and phone-based technologies. These have been effective treatment modalities for many mental health disorders however, little is known about how remote virtual reality technologies compare to other modalities or whether remote VR interventions can be utilised for the delivery of evidenced based psychological treatments. Although research on VR technologies has previously been restricted to research settings, products such as the Oculus Quest and Google VR Cardboard are now widely available to consumers, researchers, and clinicians, creating a range of new options for access to remote or self-guided treatments. VR interventions have been proposed as an effective solution to the limitations of other remote DMH interventions that do not have the capacity to produce highly immersive and interactive virtual environments. The aim of this research was to investigate the utility of a single-session, remote, mindfulness-based VR intervention to improve wellbeing among university students. The novel intervention was compared to two other digital mental health modes (e.g., computer and smartphone), and an active control condition. The study consisted of 171 university students. The study employed a mixed factorial design with participants randomly allocated to condition (between participants; VR, computer, phone, and control) and completing primary outcome measures at three time points (within participants; pre-intervention, post-intervention, and one month follow-up). Outcome measures included the Toronto mindfulness scale, the positive and negative affect scale, the K6 and relevant secondary outcome measures of engagement, treatment credibility, and the user experience. Findings revealed improvements following the the intervention across treatment conditions with larger effects observed in the VR condition. However, these improvements returned to baseline at one-month follow-up. Qualitative data provided support for the use of VR interventions