Personalized Prediction of Response to Smartphone-Delivered Meditation Training: Randomized Controlled Trial
Christian A. Webb, Matthew J. Hirshberg, Richard J. Davidson, Simon B. Goldberg
Journal of Medical Internet Research September 26, 2022 DOI: 10.2196/41566 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Randomized controlled trial Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Sample size | 662 |
| Population | School system employees |
| Duration | 4-week intervention |
| Topics | Anxiety Meditation |
| Keywords | Randomized controlled trial Mhealth Baseline sea Intervention counseling Clinical psychology Applied psychology Machine learning Psychological intervention |
| Citations | 26 |
| Registration | NCT04426318 |
| Key findings | A Personalized Advantage Index derived from baseline characteristics significantly predicted which individuals experienced greater distress reduction from a 4-week meditation app compared to an assessment-only control condition. |
Abstract
Background: Meditation apps have surged in popularity in recent years, with an increasing number of individuals turning to these apps to cope with stress, including during the COVID-19 pandemic. Meditation apps are the most commonly used mental health apps for depression and anxiety. However, little is known about who is well suited to these apps.
Objective: This study aimed to develop and test a data-driven algorithm to predict which individuals are most likely to benefit from app-based meditation training.
Methods: Using randomized controlled trial data comparing a 4-week meditation app (Healthy Minds Program [HMP]) with an assessment-only control condition in school system employees (n=662), we developed an algorithm to predict who is most likely to benefit from HMP. Baseline clinical and demographic characteristics were submitted to a machine learning model to develop a "Personalized Advantage Index" (PAI) reflecting an individual's expected reduction in distress (primary outcome) from HMP versus control.
Results: =3.30; P=.001), indicating that PAI scores moderated group differences in outcomes. A regression model that included repetitive negative thinking as the sole baseline predictor performed comparably well. Finally, we demonstrate the translation of a predictive model into personalized recommendations of expected benefit.
Conclusions: Overall, the results revealed the potential of a data-driven algorithm to inform which individuals are most likely to benefit from a meditation app. Such an algorithm could be used to objectively communicate expected benefits to individuals, allowing them to make more informed decisions about whether a meditation app is appropriate for them.
Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04426318; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04426318.