ABSTRACT Objective This study sought to investigate the efficacy and acceptability of “AKBAY,” which stands for ‘ Ang Kaalaman sa Bawat Aksyon, Yaman ng sariling emosyon ,’ a self‐help mobile application for young people with moderate symptoms of depression and anxiety. Method A between‐subject experimental design was used in the study, involving a treatment (AKBAY mobile app) group and a waitlist control group. A total of 119 university students were screened and met the eligibility criteria, and they were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. The primary outcomes (depressive symptoms and anxiety) were measured through the PHQ‐9 and GAD‐7, respectively, at pre‐intervention and post‐intervention (8 weeks after the pre‐intervention). The feasibility of the mobile app was assessed through an Aligned Rank Transform (ART) ANOVA. Results The results showed that there were statistically significant differences in the pre and post‐treatment scores of symptoms of depression and anxiety between the intervention and control groups. As well as producing significant changes in participant well‐being, qualitative feedback indicated a high level of acceptability for the app and increased personal and emotional insights. Conclusion The AKBAY mobile app remains a promising and accessible mental health tool for young Filipinos. Further refinement and research are necessary to ensure the mobile app's efficacy.
Bangalan et al. (Thu,) studied this question.