Efficacy of a smartphone-based intervention - "Holidaily" - promoting recovery behaviour in workers after a vacation: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

The feasibility of using Apple's ResearchKit for recruitment and data collection: Considerations for mental health research

In 2015, Apple launched an open-source software framework called ResearchKit. ResearchKit provides an infrastructure for conducting remote, smartphone-based research trials through the means of Apple's App Store. Such trials may have several advantages over conventional trial methods including the removal of geographic barriers, frequent assessments of participants in real-life settings, and increased inclusion of seldom-heard communities. The aim of the current study was to explore the feasibility of participant recruitment and the potential for data collection in the non-clinical population in a smartphone-based trial using ResearchKit. As a case example, an app called eMovit, a behavioural activation (BA) app with the aim of helping users to build healthy habits was used. The study was conducted over a 9-month period. Any iPhone user with access to the App Stores of The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany could download the app and participate in the study. During the study period, the eMovit app was disseminated amongst potential users via social media posts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn), paid social media advertisements (Facebook), digital newsletters and newspaper articles, blogposts and other websites. In total, 1,788 individuals visited the eMovit landing page. A total of 144 visitors subsequently entered Apple's App Store through that landing page. The eMovit product page was viewed 10,327 times on the App Store. With 79 installs, eMovit showed a conversion rate of 0.76% from product view to install of the app. Of those 79 installs, 53 users indicated that they were interested to participate in the research study and 36 subsequently consented and completed the demographics and the participants quiz. Fifteen participants completed the first PHQ-8 assessment and one participant completed the second PHQ-8 assessment. We conclude that from a technological point of view, the means provided by ResearchKit are well suited to be integrated into the app process and thus facilitate conducting smartphone-based studies. However, this study shows that although participant recruitment is technically straightforward, only low recruitment rates were achieved with the dissemination strategies applied. We argue that smartphone-based trials (using ResearchKit) require a well-designed app dissemination process to attain a sufficient sample size. Guidelines for smartphone-based trial designs and recommendations on how to work with challenges of mHealth research will ensure the quality of these trials, facilitate researchers to do more testing of mental health apps and with that enlarge the evidence-base for mHealth.

"Post-lockdown Depression": Adaptation Difficulties, Depressive Symptoms, and the Role of Positive Solitude When Returning to Routine After the Lifting of Nation-Wide COVID-19 Social Restrictions

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the current study was to identify difficulties in adapting to normal life once COVID-19 lockdown has been lifted. Israel was used as a case study, as COVID-19 social restrictions, including a nation-wide lockdown, were lifted almost completely by mid-April 2021, following a large-scale vaccination operation.

METHODS

A sample of 293 mid-age and older Israeli adults (M age = 61.6 ± 12.8, range 40-85 years old) reported on return-to-routine adaptation difficulties (on a novel index), depression, positive solitude, and several demographic factors.

RESULTS

Of the participants, 40.4% met the criteria of (at least) mild depressive symptoms. Higher levels of adaptation difficulties were related to higher ratios of clinical depressive symptoms. This link was moderated by positive solitude. Namely, the association between return-to-routine adaptation difficulties and depression was mainly indicated for individuals with low positive solitude.

CONCLUSIONS

The current findings are of special interest to public welfare, as adaptation difficulties were associated with higher chance for clinical depressive symptoms, while positive solitude was found to be as an efficient moderator during this period. The large proportion of depressive symptoms that persist despite lifting of social restrictions should be taken into consideration by policy makers when designing return-to-routine plans.

Review of the Internal Structure, Psychometric Properties, and Measurement Invariance of the Work-Related Rumination Scale - Spanish Version

Background: The aim of the current study was to examine the internal structure and assess the psychometric properties of the Work-Related Rumination Scale (WRRS) – Spanish version in a Puerto Rican sample of workers. This instrument is a 15-item questionnaire, which has three factors, affective rumination, problem-solving pondering, and detachment. This measure is used in the occupational health psychology context; however, there is little evidence of its psychometric properties.

Materials and Methods: A total sample of 4,100 from five different study samples was used in this cross-sectional study design in which the WRRS was used. We conducted confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) to examine the internal structure of the Work-Related Rumination Scale. Measurement invariance across sex and age was examined.

Results: The three-factor model was supported; however, four items were eliminated due to their cross-loadings and factorial complexity. This 11-item Spanish version of the WRRS was invariant across sex and age. Reliability of the three-factors of WRRS were within the range of 0.74 to 0.87 using Cronbach’s alpha and McDonald’s omega. Correlations between the three factors were as expected as well as with other established measures.

Conclusion: The results suggest that the WRRS-Spanish version appears to be a reliable and valid instrument to measure work-related rumination using its three factors. Comparison across sex and age appear to be useful in occupational health psychology research setting since results suggest that the WRRS is invariant regarding those variables.