Researchers have developed MoodmApper, a new app to help teenagers with ADHD.
ADHD is the most common behavioural disorder in the UK, and sadly young people with the condition are known to also face a significantly greater risk of developing depression.
Despite its potentially devastating effects, such as self-harm or even suicidal behaviour, depression often goes unrecognised and untreated in this group of young people. The symptoms of ADHD can also make it harder for them to reliably monitor their changing thoughts and feelings, making it difficult to engage with common therapies for depression, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT).
With Action's funding, Professor Asherson and his team, based at King’s College London’s Institute of Psychiatry, have worked with teenagers who have ADHD to develop and test a new mobile phone app called MoodmApper. This user-friendly digital diary prompts users to rate their thoughts and feelings several times a day and is designed to be easy to use and give an accurate picture of mood and any mood swings in a real-life context.
As well as indicating signs of depression, the app makes it easier for teenagers to self-monitor and recognise how they’re feeling, making treatments like CBT more likely to succeed.
