"Over the past couple of months, and with the valliant efforts of our game developer extraordinare, Tarique Naseem, our team has completed the prototype version of the app and it is now available via the play store (Android) and app store (Apple)." writes Dr Hiran Thabrew of the Whitu app project, a mobile phone app aimed at providing young New Zealanders with tools to help them tackle anxiety and depression.
"You can sneak a peek at the app here on the Google Play store: https://play.google.com/apps/testing/com.carbonimagineering.whitu"
Following a successful Facebook recruitment campaign, the researchers introduced all 20 participants for the open trial of the prototype app within a week and they are hopefully making good use of it as you read this.
Dr Thabrew and colleague Dr Anna Serlachius are currently in the process of organising a series of focus groups for late July, including some especially for Maori and Pacific Island young people that will be led by Dr Eva Morunga (Maori) and Nic Cao (Pacific Island) members of the research team.
Following feedback from the prototype users and focus group participants, they will refine the app to its final version and refine the methodology to successfully undertake the randomised controlled trial (RCT), hopefully commencing in August-September this year.
Anna Boggis and David Lim-Tua, two young and bright research assistants have done an excellent job of coordinating efforts and designing the online survey forms used for the pilot study and forthcoming RCT.
"Our whole team has really enjoyed working on this app. Thanks again for AMRF's generous support."