Transdiagnostic PsychopathologyDIGITALRCTNCT06883773
Digital Rewards and Retention in a M-health App
A study testing Multipurpose Online Tool in people with Transdiagnostic Psychopathology and Attrition, run by University of Bucharest at 1 site in Romania.
Trial summary
Attrition and user engagement are two challenges that eHealth interventions struggle with. Attempts to address this have been previously made through gamification, instructional design and using different types of incentives. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Transdiagnostic Psychopathology, Attrition, Engagement
- What is being tested?
- Multipurpose Online Tool
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 177 participants
- Where
- 1 siteRomania
- Study dates
- 15 Mar 2025to 1 Sep 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- English speaking
Who cannot join
- -
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Romania1 site
University of Bucharest
Bucharest
Cezar Giosan, PhD, +40730908050, giosan@outlook.com
About this study
Official title: Does Engagement in a Computerized M-Health Intervention Increase With Digital Rewards?
Attrition and user engagement are two challenges that eHealth interventions struggle with. Attempts to address this have been previously made through gamification, instructional design and using different types of incentives. Overall, any type of reward, be it non-financial or monetary is better than the controls, but the latter usually produce a greater effect. It is also worth mentioning that having an affective value attached to the reward itself is also important to user retention and engagement. Given the ever-increasing interest in cryptocurrency and its current relevance, the present study - a randomized clinical trial with three arms - aims to compare cryptocurrency to non-monetary rewards regarding their effectiveness in reducing attrition and increasing engagement. In order to do this, a mental-health computerized intervention will be developed, in which the users will have to complete several modules, during which time they will be rewarded either with cryptocurrency, sweepstake rewards (e.g., vouchers), or nothing.
Read the detailed description
Albeit effective, eHealth interventions suffer from very high dropout rates. Finding novel ways in which to maximise user retention and engagement in such settings can be beneficial, and exploring cryptocurrency as a potential reward may be worthwhile, since motivation seems to increase as the reward is perceived as more meaningful by the recipient.
The design is experimental, between-subjects, with one independent variable (the type of reward offered) and mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress, and transdiagnostic constructs) as well as engagement and retention outcomes. Thus, three groups will be formed: two in which participants will be enrolled in the modular MOTO intervention and will receive different rewards, and one in which they will not receive any intervention or reward but will be evaluated as part of a waitlist control group. The modular MOTO intervention involves, in addition to the mentioned assessments, the completion of six weekly modules, each focused on specific aspects of mental health and containing exercises that may improve psychological well-being. These modules are automated, requiring no interaction with others (except for communication between participants and research team). Each of these modules contains the following: psychoeducational section(s) that participants must complete; a short test of 5-10 questions after each section to assess understanding of the material; (only for the first two groups); a link where they can obtain their rewards; the exercise corresponding to that module; the evaluation corresponding to that module.
- Being tested
- Multipurpose Online Tool, No intervention
- Keywords
- crypto, digital rewards, mHealth, attrition, CBT, NFT
- Medical subject headings
- Tooth Wear, Depression, Anxiety Disorders, Cryptococcosis
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Multipurpose Online ToolBehavioural
The intervention consists of 6 psychoeducational modules, on the Canvas teaching platform. They are automated, requiring no interaction with others (except for communication between participants and the team). Participants go through the psychoeducational modules, then do the corresponding exercise, and then access their rewards (if they belong to the experimental or comparative groups).
No interventionOther
The participants will be assessed but without any intervention
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto reward group | Experimental | The participants will be enrolled in a weekly, 6 module intervention, which will require them to read psychoeducational materials, complete quizzes regarding those materials, complete the module-specific exercise, and then get rewarded in cryptocurrency. The participants will be assessed before, during and after the intervention. Receives: Behavioral: Multipurpose Online Tool |
| Sweepstakes reward group | Active comparator | The participants will be enrolled in a weekly, 6 module intervention, which will require them to read psychoeducational materials, complete quizzes regarding those materials, complete the module-specific exercise, and then earn the chance to win vouchers for an online store. The participants will be assessed before, during and after the intervention. Receives: Behavioral: Multipurpose Online Tool |
| Waitlist | Other | The participants will be enrolled on the platform, but only for completing the assessments. Receives: Other: No intervention |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Participant retention
The numbers of participants that get to finish the entire intervention
Measured: From enrollment to the end of the 6 week intervention
Secondary outcomes (10)
User Engagement Scale - Short Version (UES-SF)
Score on how engaged the users feel while participating in the intervention - how satisfied and how much they value each intervention module.
Minimum value = 1 Maximum value = 5 A higher score means a better outcome (i.e., a higher user engagement).
Measured: From the first module to the last (from week 1 to 6)
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Depression
The users will be assessed to see if the intervention decreases depression symptoms.
Minimum value = 0 Maximum value = 21 (raw score); please note that scores are usually doubled in order to maintain consistency with the DASS-42, which would result in a maximum of 42.
Higher scores on this subscale are associated with a worse outcome (i.e. depression symptoms), and a total score can be compounded across all 3 subscales, after doubling their raw scores. This total score is a general psychological distress score.
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Anxiety
The users will be assessed to see if the intervention decreases anxiety symptoms.
Minimum value = 0 Maximum value = 21(raw score); please note that scores are usually doubled in order to maintain consistency with the DASS-42, which would result in a maximum of 42.
Higher scores on this subscale are associated with a worse outcome (i.e. anxiety symptoms), and a total score can be compounded across all 3 subscales, after doubling their raw scores. This total score is a general psychological distress score.
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Stress
The users will be assessed to see if the intervention decreases stress symptoms.
Minimum value = 0 Maximum value = 21 (raw score); please note that scores are usually doubled in order to maintain consistency with the DASS-42, which would result in a maximum of 42.
Higher scores on this subscale are associated with a worse outcome (i.e. stress symptoms), and a total score can be compounded across all 3 subscales, after doubling their raw scores. This total score is a general psychological distress score.
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Adult
This is a DSM-5-TR screener for symptoms, to provide additional information beyond the other secondary measures.
Minimum score = 0 Maximum score = 8 (depression, mania, somatic symptoms, psychosis, repetitive thoughts and behaviors, personality functioning); 4 (anger, suicidal ideation, sleep problems, memory, dissociation); 12 (anxiety, substance use).
A rating of mild (i.e., 2) or greater on any item within a domain (except for substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychosis) may serve as a guide for additional inquiry and follow up to determine if a more detailed assessment for that domain is necessary. For substance use, suicidal ideation, and psychosis, a rating of slight (i.e., 1) or greater on any item within the domain may serve as a guide for additional inquiry and follow-up to determine if a more detailed assessment is needed. A greater score is associated with a worse outcome.
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale: Short Version (IUS-12)
This is a transdiagnostic mental health factor that describes an individual's distress and ability to negatively perceive uncertainty as a whole.
Minimum score = 12 Maximum score = 60 A greater score is associated with a worse outcome (i.e., more intense intolerance of uncertainty)
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale: Brief Version (DERS-16)
This is a transdiagnostic factor that describes a person's management and control of emotional states.
Minimum score = 16 Maximum score = 80 A greater score is associated with a worse outcome (i.e., more difficulty in reglating emotions)
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Ruminative Response Scale (RRS-10)
This is a transdiagnostic factor that describes a person's tendency to continually focus on negative emotions, experiences and thoughts.
Minimum score = 10 Maximum score = 40 A higher score is associated with a worse outcome (i.e., more intense ruminations)
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (Short Version) - ATQ -8
This is a transdiagnostic contruct that describes thoughts that occur spontaneously, triggered either by external or internal states of events.
Minimum score = 8 Maximum score = 40 A higher score is associated with a worse outcome (i.e., greater frequency of negative automatic thoughts)
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ-7)
This is a transdiagnostic construct that measures how much people get entangled and immersed in their thoughts and beliefs.
Minimum score = 7 Maximum score = 49 A higher score is associated with a worse outcome (i.e., a stronger tendency towards cognitive fusion, becoming more entangled with one's own internal experiences and thoughts)
Measured: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Mar 2025
- Study start15 Mar 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion15 Jun 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Sep 2025 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Transdiagnostic PsychopathologyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 177 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Bucharest
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Cezar Giosan, University of Bucharest
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06883773
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- DIGITALGAMINGRCT
- Acronym
- DIGITALRCT
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 24 Feb 2025
- Last updated
- 19 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Does Engagement in a Computerized M-Health Intervention Increase With Digital Rewards?
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06883773
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DIGITALRCT / DIGITALGAMINGRCT
- Keywords
- crypto, digital rewards, mHealth, attrition, CBT, NFT
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 177 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of BucharestUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 15 Mar 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 15 Jun 2025 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Sep 2025 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Attrition and user engagement are two challenges that eHealth interventions struggle with. Attempts to address this have been previously made through gamification, instructional design and using different types of incentives. Overall, any type of reward, be it non-financial or monetary is better than the controls, but the latter usually produce a greater effect. It is also worth mentioning that having an affective value attached to the reward itself is also important to user retention and engagement. Given the ever-increasing interest in cryptocurrency and its current relevance, the present study - a randomized clinical trial with three arms - aims to compare cryptocurrency to non-monetary rewards regarding their effectiveness in reducing attrition and increasing engagement. In order to do this, a mental-health computerized intervention will be developed, in which the users will have to complete several modules, during which time they will be rewarded either with cryptocurrency, sweepstake rewards (e.g., vouchers), or nothing.
Detailed description
Albeit effective, eHealth interventions suffer from very high dropout rates. Finding novel ways in which to maximise user retention and engagement in such settings can be beneficial, and exploring cryptocurrency as a potential reward may be worthwhile, since motivation seems to increase as the reward is perceived as more meaningful by the recipient.
The design is experimental, between-subjects, with one independent variable (the type of reward offered) and mental health (e.g., depression, anxiety, stress, and transdiagnostic constructs) as well as engagement and retention outcomes. Thus, three groups will be formed: two in which participants will be enrolled in the modular MOTO intervention and will receive different rewards, and one in which they will not receive any intervention or reward but will be evaluated as part of a waitlist control group. The modular MOTO intervention involves, in addition to the mentioned assessments, the completion of six weekly modules, each focused on specific aspects of mental health and containing exercises that may improve psychological well-being. These modules are automated, requiring no interaction with others (except for communication between participants and research team). Each of these modules contains the following: psychoeducational section(s) that participants must complete; a short test of 5-10 questions after each section to assess understanding of the material; (only for the first two groups); a link where they can obtain their rewards; the exercise corresponding to that module; the evaluation corresponding to that module.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Crypto reward group | Experimental | Behavioral: Multipurpose Online ToolThe participants will be enrolled in a weekly, 6 module intervention, which will require them to read psychoeducational materials, complete quizzes regarding those materials, complete the module-specific exercise, and then get rewarded in cryptocurrency. The participants will be assessed before, during and after the intervention. |
| Sweepstakes reward group | Active comparator | Behavioral: Multipurpose Online ToolThe participants will be enrolled in a weekly, 6 module intervention, which will require them to read psychoeducational materials, complete quizzes regarding those materials, complete the module-specific exercise, and then earn the chance to win vouchers for an online store. The participants will be assessed before, during and after the intervention. |
| Waitlist | Other | Other: No interventionThe participants will be enrolled on the platform, but only for completing the assessments. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- English speaking
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- -
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Multipurpose Online ToolThe intervention consists of 6 psychoeducational modules, on the Canvas teaching platform. They are automated, requiring no interaction with others (except for communication between participants and the team). Participants go through the psychoeducational modules, then do the corresponding exercise, and then access their rewards (if they belong to the experimental or comparative groups). | Behavioural | Crypto reward group, Sweepstakes reward group |
| No interventionThe participants will be assessed but without any intervention | Other | Waitlist |
Primary outcome
Participant retention
Time frame: From enrollment to the end of the 6 week intervention
The numbers of participants that get to finish the entire intervention
10 secondary outcomes
User Engagement Scale - Short Version (UES-SF)
Time frame: From the first module to the last (from week 1 to 6)
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Depression
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Anxiety
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS-21) - Stress
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
DSM-5 Self-Rated Level 1 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure-Adult
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale: Short Version (IUS-12)
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale: Brief Version (DERS-16)
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Ruminative Response Scale (RRS-10)
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (Short Version) - ATQ -8
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
The Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire (CFQ-7)
Time frame: On week 1 and week 6 of the intervention
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Mar 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Multipurpose Online Tool in people with Transdiagnostic Psychopathology and Attrition, run by University of Bucharest at 1 site in Romania.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 19 Mar 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Romania. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Cezar Giosan, PhD (+40730908050, giosan@outlook.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Participant retention (time frame: From enrollment to the end of the 6 week intervention). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 19 Mar 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.