An Efficacy Trial of the MindFi App for Stress, Well-being, and Sleep Quality in Working Adults
Condition: Stress; Burnout
MeSH terms: Burnout, Psychological
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      90% of Asian workers report high levels of stress in an "always-on" culture. Stress and
      burnout are risk factors that account for 10-20% of health expenditure and threaten work
      longevity in the world's fastest growing economies. Traditional face-to-face sources of
      mental care such as counseling and psychotherapy are effective as a countermeasure to stress,
      but not always accessible or acceptable for those with busy lifestyles. Because of this,
      there is an urgent need for on-demand, scalable interventions to reduce stress and improve
      mental and physical well being. Technology-based solutions are increasingly being proposed to
      fill this need.

      MindFi is a smartphone app that uses mindfulness exercises to help users cope with work
      stress and increase productivity. Since 2017, it has been featured by Apple, BBC, and
      Bloomberg and is being used at corporates such as Bain, Bloomberg, Cigna, and Zendesk. MindFi
      users contribute behavioral and self-report data, which are then used to generate individual
      recommendations for relevant, evidence-based exercises. These include mental care techniques
      such as mindfulness meditation, therapeutic journaling, psychosocial support and educational
      wellbeing quizzes.

      In this study, the investigators will recruit 200 participants in a randomized controlled
      design, with 100 receiving access to content of the MindFi app, and 100 receiving access to a
      version containing music tracks for relaxation. Each intervention will last 4 weeks.
      Participants will use these apps for a period of 5 weeks (for a minimum of 10 minutes per
      day). Pre- and post-intervention, the investigators will measure self-reported ratings on a
      number of psychological variables, and will track sleep quality objectively for a one-week
      period.
    


Intervention name(s): MindFi app: Standard content; Mindfi app: Standard content without practice
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Digital wellness training in this study will be delivered via the MindFi app, designed by Jaedye Labs. Content includes learning, assesesment, and practice tracks A core component of the exercises in this app is mindfulness training; however, the app also incorporates other exercises drawn from positive psychology such as journaling and diaphragmatic breathing. The app goes beyond traditional guided meditation through content that reinforces the principles and attitudes taught during in-person training, and also seeks to maximize user experience by using interactive tasks and progress charts.; In this condition, participants will receive a version of the MindFi app that does NOT contain the practice tracks, only the learning and assessment tracks.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Intervention model description: Participants will be randomized in a 1:1 allocation to use the MindFi app or receive a dummy version of the app (containing music tracks for relaxation).
Masking: Double (Investigator, Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Treatment
Keywords: Mindfulness; Sleep quality; Well-being