Safe Haven app to reduce depression and anxiety in undergraduates
Official title: The Effectiveness of the Safe Haven APP on Mental Health Among Undergraduates: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by National Cheng-Kung University Hospital · NCT07340983 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This trial will see if the Safe Haven smartphone app helps undergraduates with depression or anxiety feel less distressed and improve their mental health knowledge.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years to 24 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 68 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | National Cheng-Kung University Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Tainan) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | September 16, 2025 |
| Main results expected | October 31, 2026 |
| Study ends | January 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | January 21, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07340983 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Enrolled undergraduates aged 18–24 who can read Chinese, own a personal smartphone or tablet, and are willing to install the app and complete follow-up assessments are the intended participants.
✕Probably not a fit
Students who are on leave or not officially enrolled during the study, already participating in another mental health program or using similar apps, or who lack a compatible device or Chinese literacy are not eligible and would not benefit from participation.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This is a two-arm randomized controlled trial at a national university in southern Taiwan that will enroll 68 eligible undergraduates and randomize them 1:1 to Safe Haven plus usual campus care or to a waitlist control receiving usual campus care only. The Safe Haven intervention is a Just-in-Time Adaptive Intervention (JITAI) app that combines mood and sleep tracking, risk stratification, and tailored support delivered over a 3-month period. Outcomes include changes in general psychological distress, depression, anxiety, stress, and mental health literacy measured at baseline, immediately post-intervention (3 months), and at a 3-month follow-up. Researchers will compare symptom and literacy changes over time between the two groups to determine whether the app provides additional benefit beyond standard campus services.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the app could provide an easy-to-access, scalable tool to reduce distress and improve mental health literacy among undergraduates.
How similar studies have gone: Prior app-based mental health interventions for students have shown modest improvements in symptoms and knowledge, and JITAI approaches are promising though large-scale efficacy data remain limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * registered undergraduates aged 18-24 years * own a personal smart device (mobile phone or tablet) * ability to read Chinese * willingness to install the study app and complete the follow-up assessments. Exclusion Criteria: * are on leave of absence or not officially enrolled during the study period * are participating in another mental health intervention program or using similar mental health apps.
Where it's running
-
National Cheng Kung University
Tainan, Taiwan Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Ching-Lan Lin — National Cheng Kung University
- Study coordinator: Ching-Lan Lin
- Email: chinglan@mail.ncku.edu.tw
- Phone: +886-6-2757575
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.