Depression - Major Depressive DisorderDPANCT07130734
Digital Intervention for Physical Activity
A study testing Digital Physical Activity in people with Depression - Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety, run by Auburn University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The present study will assess the effects of a four-week digitally delivered intervention on physical activity and depressive symptoms among adults experiencing at least moderate depressive symptoms. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 19 to 40 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Stress
- What is being tested?
- Digital Physical Activity
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 20 Oct 2025to May 2027
- 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 19 to 40 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Between the ages of 19 and 40 years
- Verbally fluent in English (i.e., must be able to speak or understand English)
- No uncorrected visual or hearing impairment
- Moderate depressive symptoms or greater of at least 10 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 screening instrument
- Eligible to participate in physical activity
- Physically inactive (i.e., engaging in less than 150 min of weekly moderate-to-vigorous physical activity)
- Owns an Apple or Android mobile device, willing to download the Pathverse app , and willing to keep the device on during the study period
- Not currently pregnant
Who cannot join
- Participants will not qualify for the current study if they do not meet the above inclusion criteria.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Karly A Knudson, B.S. contact
United States1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Kinesiology Building
Auburn, Alabama, 36849
Administrator, Business & Admin Services School of Kinesiology, 334-844-1450, lse0001@auburn.edu
About this study
Official title: Digitally-Delivered Intervention to Prompt Physical Activity
The present study will assess the effects of a four-week digitally delivered intervention on physical activity and depressive symptoms among adults experiencing at least moderate depressive symptoms. The main questions this research aims to answer are:
- Does a digitally-delivered intervention increase physical activity levels?
- Does a digitally-delivered intervention reduce symptoms of depression?
Read more
Researchers will compare an intervention promoting physical activity to a passive control (does not receive the intervention) group to see if the intervention reduces depressive symptoms and increases physical activity levels.
Participants will:
- Visit the laboratory at two separate time points before group assignment, separated by one week of physical activity monitoring
- Be randomly assigned to complete four weeks of a digital intervention prompting engagement in physical activity or have their mental health symptoms monitored over four weeks (i.e., passive control group)
- Visit the laboratory at two separate time points after the intervention, separated by one week of physical activity monitoring
Read the detailed description
Procedures include four laboratory visits: two visits before the intervention and two visits after the intervention.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either four weeks of a digital intervention that prompts participants to engage in physical activity or a waitlist (passive) control condition. Participants will be randomized using a stratified approach using depressive symptoms and physical activity measured at pre-intervention as strata.
The digital intervention group will be instructed to download a Pathverse mobile application on their Apple or Android smartphone device. The Pathverse mobile application will be used as a research delivery platform that can send participants daily push notifications to engage in physical activity of their choice. During the second pre-intervention visit, each participant will select approximately five types of physical activity they find enjoyable that they would like to engage in over the four-week intervention. Participants will report on the physical activity they completed, along with the duration and intensity of each activity. Participants will have the choice of time of day as to when they would like to receive daily notifications on their device.
Members of the passive control group will be informed that their mental health will be monitored over four weeks as a control condition. After the study, they will be offered the digital PA intervention, if desired.
- Conditions
- Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Stress
- Being tested
- Digital Physical Activity
- Keywords
- Physical Activity, Digital Intervention, Depression, Mobile Application
- Medical subject headings
- Anxiety Disorders, Motor Activity, Depression
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Digital Physical ActivityBehavioural
The Pathverse mobile application platform will be downloaded on each participant's smartphone. Participants will be guided on how to download and use the application, as well as how to interact with the application during the intervention period. Participants will choose approximately five types of physical activity they enjoy before the intervention and will be prompted to complete these physical activities throughout the intervention. Participants will also self-report the duration and type of physical activity performed each day of the intervention.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Intervention Group | Experimental | Participants allocated to this group will be instructed to download a Pathverse mobile application on their Apple or Android smartphone device. The Pathverse mobile application will be used to send participants daily push notifications to engage in physical activity of their choice. During on-boarding at pre-intervention, each participant will choose approximately five types of physical activity they find enjoyable that they would like to engage in throughout the four-week intervention. They will report on the physical activity they completed, along with the duration and intensity of each activity. Participants will have the choice of when they would like to receive their daily notifications on their smartphone device. Receives: Behavioral: Digital Physical Activity |
| Passive Control Group | No intervention | Participants will be informed that their mental health will be monitored over four weeks as a control condition. After the study, they will be offered the digital PA intervention, if desired. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depressive Symptoms
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) will be used to assess changes in symptoms of depression. The DASS-21 includes 7 items that assess for depression. Total scores for depression range from 0-42, with higher scores indicating greater depression severity.
Measured: pre-intervention, at the two-week time point during the intervention, and immediately after the intervention
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
Physical activity will be assessed using a wrist-worn accelerometer before and after the intervention. Physical activity outcomes will be calculated as amount of time spent in a specific intensity.
Measured: pre-intervention and immediately after 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 Aug 2025
- Study start20 Oct 2025
- Primary completionMay 2027 (estimated)
- Study completionMay 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Depression - Major Depressive DisorderStudies 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Between-subjects randomized controlled trial
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Auburn University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Christopher Brush, Auburn University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07130734
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 00000675
- Acronym
- DPA
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Aug 2025
- Last updated
- 28 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Digitally-Delivered Intervention to Prompt Physical Activity
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07130734
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DPA / 00000675
- Conditions
- Depression - Major Depressive Disorder, Anxiety, Stress
- Keywords
- Physical Activity, Digital Intervention, Depression, Mobile Application
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Auburn UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 20 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- May 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- May 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 19 Aug 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.
The present study will assess the effects of a four-week digitally delivered intervention on physical activity and depressive symptoms among adults experiencing at least moderate depressive symptoms. The main questions this research aims to answer are:
- Does a digitally-delivered intervention increase physical activity levels?
- Does a digitally-delivered intervention reduce symptoms of depression?
Researchers will compare an intervention promoting physical activity to a passive control (does not receive the intervention) group to see if the intervention reduces depressive symptoms and increases physical activity levels.
Participants will:
- Visit the laboratory at two separate time points before group assignment, separated by one week of physical activity monitoring
- Be randomly assigned to complete four weeks of a digital intervention prompting engagement in physical activity or have their mental health symptoms monitored over four weeks (i.e., passive control group)
- Visit the laboratory at two separate time points after the intervention, separated by one week of physical activity monitoring
Detailed description
Procedures include four laboratory visits: two visits before the intervention and two visits after the intervention.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either four weeks of a digital intervention that prompts participants to engage in physical activity or a waitlist (passive) control condition. Participants will be randomized using a stratified approach using depressive symptoms and physical activity measured at pre-intervention as strata.
The digital intervention group will be instructed to download a Pathverse mobile application on their Apple or Android smartphone device. The Pathverse mobile application will be used as a research delivery platform that can send participants daily push notifications to engage in physical activity of their choice. During the second pre-intervention visit, each participant will select approximately five types of physical activity they find enjoyable that they would like to engage in over the four-week intervention. Participants will report on the physical activity they completed, along with the duration and intensity of each activity. Participants will have the choice of time of day as to when they would like to receive daily notifications on their device.
Members of the passive control group will be informed that their mental health will be monitored over four weeks as a control condition. After the study, they will be offered the digital PA intervention, if desired.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Between-subjects randomized controlled trial
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Intervention Group | Experimental | Behavioral: Digital Physical ActivityParticipants allocated to this group will be instructed to download a Pathverse mobile application on their Apple or Android smartphone device. The Pathverse mobile application will be used to send participants daily push notifications to engage in physical activity of their choice. During on-boarding at pre-intervention, each participant will choose approximately five types of physical activity they find enjoyable that they would like to engage in throughout the four-week intervention. They will report on the physical activity they completed, along with the duration and intensity of each activity. Participants will have the choice of when they would like to receive their daily notifications on their smartphone device. |
| Passive Control Group | No intervention | –Participants will be informed that their mental health will be monitored over four weeks as a control condition. After the study, they will be offered the digital PA intervention, if desired. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 19 to 40 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (8 listed)
- Between the ages of 19 and 40 years
- Verbally fluent in English (i.e., must be able to speak or understand English)
- No uncorrected visual or hearing impairment
- Moderate depressive symptoms or greater of at least 10 or higher on the Patient Health Questionnaire-8 screening instrument
- Eligible to participate in physical activity
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants will not qualify for the current study if they do not meet the above inclusion criteria.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Digital Physical ActivityThe Pathverse mobile application platform will be downloaded on each participant's smartphone. Participants will be guided on how to download and use the application, as well as how to interact with the application during the intervention period. Participants will choose approximately five types of physical activity they enjoy before the intervention and will be prompted to complete these physical activities throughout the intervention. Participants will also self-report the duration and type of physical activity performed each day of the intervention. | Behavioural | Digital Intervention Group |
Primary outcome
Depressive Symptoms
Time frame: pre-intervention, at the two-week time point during the intervention, and immediately after the intervention
Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale (DASS-21) will be used to assess changes in symptoms of depression. The DASS-21 includes 7 items that assess for depression. Total scores for depression range from 0-42, with higher scores indicating greater depression severity.
Moderate-to-vigorous physical activity
Time frame: pre-intervention and immediately after the intervention
Physical activity will be assessed using a wrist-worn accelerometer before and after the intervention. Physical activity outcomes will be calculated as amount of time spent in a specific intensity.
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 28 Oct 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Karly A Knudson, B.S. contact
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Digital Physical Activity in people with Depression - Major Depressive Disorder and Anxiety, run by Auburn University at 1 site in United States.
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 8 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 28 Oct 2026. 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 United States. 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 Christopher J Brush, Ph.D. (334-844-4483, cjbrush@auburn.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depressive Symptoms (time frame: pre-intervention, at the two-week time point during the intervention, and immediately after the intervention). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 28 Oct 2026.