The Efficacy of "Inner Peak" an AI-enabled Digital Wellness App on Mental Wellness Among a Sample of University of West Indies (UWI) Mona Students

NCT07720973 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: CREC-MN.0140,2024/2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 171
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to test the efficacy of therapist-created video content delivered by an Artificial Intelligence (AI) conversational agent and recommendation algorithms (as in the Inner Peak app) among a sample of University of the West Indies, Mona (UWI) students in Jamaica for four weeks. Additionally, we aim to assess if relational accountability and increased users' re-engagement over time will improve mental wellbeing in comparison to a no intervention control group with self-report psychological measures on wellbeing, stress, anxiety and depression. Using a randomized controlled trial on a sample of consented university student volunteers 18 years and older, we sought to ascertain if engagement with an AI-enabled, video content-based mental wellness app will improve mental well-being and other psychological outcomes. In the study, a control group will receive email reminders about existing university mental health resources bi-weekly for 4 weeks. The treatment group will receive access to the Inner Peak mobile application, as well as instructions for how to use it. At the end of the study all participants will be provided with optional access to Inner Peak (waitlist control condition). Using a power analysis a sample of 400 was calculated. Participants' responses will be anonymized using a unique encrypted key in a data protected account. Data collection will extend from December 2025 - July 2026. The encrypted data will be stored on a password-protected Google Drive account, with access limited to designated researchers. Data will be destroyed 5 years after it has been collected. Outcome metrics will include increased re-engagement with the app and improvement in wellbeing, stress, anxiety, and depression. The study will use two clinically validated scales: the 14-item Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale and the 21-item Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale. Descriptive statistics will be used to describe variables: means and standard deviations for continuous variables; frequencies and proportions for categorical variables. T-tests, correlation, and regression analyses will be used to determine the nature and strength of association between specific factors and outcome variables.

Conditions

Mental Health Wellness 1

Keywords

wellness app; university students; 18 years and older; Jamaica

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Improvement in mental wellbeing

  Pre and post test differences of improvement in wellbeing will be measured through self-reported, clinically validated scales-higher scores on the 14-item Warwick - Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale and lower scores on 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)

  2 weeks and 4 weeks

• Improvement in mental wellbeing

  Pre and post test differences of improvement in wellbeing as indicated by a reduction of the scores on self report measure of the 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21)

  2 weeks and 4 weeks

Study Arms (1)

Device Group

EXPERIMENTAL

This group is the only group that will receive access to the Inner Peak wellness app. The treatment group will receive a link to a video (and transcript) that describes the resources, as the control group's video, but with the addition of the Inner Peak resource. As part of the consent process to use the app, when students create an account, they will be asked to affirm that they will be the only one using the account from their phone. They will be directed to the questionnaires on wellbeing at baseline, assessed at 2 weeks and then at week 4. Students consent to the Inner Peak Terms of Service and Privacy Policy as part of onboarding to the app. Students must explicitly accept that if their lives or the lives of someone else might be in danger, their information can be shared with healthcare administrators at their school.

Device: Intervention Group; Behavioral: Control group

Interventions

Control group BEHAVIORAL

The control group will receive an email or QR code with an informed consent form outlining the purpose and details of the study, confidentiality and privacy of their responses and their right to withdraw their participation if they so desire, without the risk of penalty. Instructions will be given that once they submit the form they are consenting to participate. They will be directed to The 14-Item Warwick Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale and the DASS-21 will be assessed at baseline, assessed at 2 weeks and then at week 4 (that is, baseline, week-2 and week-4).The control group will receive an email with a link to a video (as well as a transcript of the video). The video will explain university mental health and wellness resources and how to access them. After the control group completes the post-study survey (that is the 14-item Warwick Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale and DASS-21), they will then receive the same access to the app the treatment group received.

Device Group

Intervention Group DEVICE

This group in addition to completing the consent form and the questionnaires as the control group, they are the only group that will receive access to the Inner Peak wellness app. The treatment group will receive a link to a video (and transcript) that describes the resources as the control group's video, but with the addition of the Inner Peak resource. As part of the consent process to use the app, when students create an account, they will be asked to affirm that they will be the only one using the account from their phone. They will be directed to the questionnaires on wellbeing at baseline, assessed at 2 weeks and then at week 4. Students consent to the Inner Peak Terms of Service and Privacy Policy as part of onboarding to the app. Students must explicitly accept that if their lives or the lives of someone else might be in danger, their information can be shared with healthcare administrators at their school.

Device Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Months+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• University of West Indies students aged 18+ who have signed our consent form.
• Have access to an Android or Apple Device
• Have a UWI email account

You may not qualify if:

• Participants will be excluded if they
• Are below the age of 18
• Have not given written consent to participate
• Do not attend UWI at the time of consenting to participate

Sponsors & Collaborators

• The University of The West Indies: lead
• George Mason University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

The Faculty of Social Sciences

Kingston, Jamaica, Jamaica

Location

Related Publications (6)

• Farrer LM, Gulliver A, Katruss N, Fassnacht DB, Kyrios M, Batterham PJ. A novel multi-component online intervention to improve the mental health of university students: Randomised controlled trial of the Uni Virtual Clinic. Internet Interv. 2019 Aug 28;18:100276. doi: 10.1016/j.invent.2019.100276. eCollection 2019 Dec.

  PMID: 31890625 BACKGROUND

• Donker T, Petrie K, Proudfoot J, Clarke J, Birch MR, Christensen H. Smartphones for smarter delivery of mental health programs: a systematic review. J Med Internet Res. 2013 Nov 15;15(11):e247. doi: 10.2196/jmir.2791.

  PMID: 24240579 BACKGROUND

• Darcy A, Daniels J, Salinger D, Wicks P, Robinson A. Evidence of Human-Level Bonds Established With a Digital Conversational Agent: Cross-sectional, Retrospective Observational Study. JMIR Form Res. 2021 May 11;5(5):e27868. doi: 10.2196/27868.

  PMID: 33973854 BACKGROUND

• Bourne, P. A., Brown, C., Lawson, Z., Williams, S., Thompson, L., Fallah, J., Campbell, C.,Foster, C., McClean, C., Russell Parkes, D & Muchee, T. (2022). Is there a Relationship between Tolerance and the Healthcare Seeking Behaviours of Jamaicans?

  BACKGROUND

• Baumel A, Muench F, Edan S, Kane JM. Objective User Engagement With Mental Health Apps: Systematic Search and Panel-Based Usage Analysis. J Med Internet Res. 2019 Sep 25;21(9):e14567. doi: 10.2196/14567.

  PMID: 31573916 BACKGROUND

• American Psychological Association. (2022, October). Mental health on campus: More care needed. APA Monitor on Psychology. https://www.apa.org/monitor/2022/10/mental-health- campus-care

  BACKGROUND

Related Links

• Related Info

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Control Groups

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Research Design; Methods

Study Officials

• Caryl James, PhD

  The University of The West Indies

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Prof. Eating Disorders, Body Image and Mental Health

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 15, 2026
• First Posted: July 22, 2026
• Study Start: December 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: May 30, 2026
• Study Completion: June 30, 2026
• Last Updated: July 24, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

JA (1)