The Effectiveness of a Smartphone Intervention Targeting Suicidal Ideation in Young Adults: Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Influence of Loneliness

BACKGROUND: Loneliness is commonly reported by young people and has been shown to contribute to the rapid onset and escalation of depression and suicidal ideation during adolescence. Lonely people may also be particularly susceptible to disengaging from treatment early given the likelihood of their more complex clinical profiles leading to cognitive fatigue. While a smartphone intervention (LifeBuoy) has been shown to effectively reduce suicidal ideation in young adults, poor engagement is a well-documented issue for this therapeutic modality and has been shown to result in poorer treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine whether loneliness affects how young people experiencing suicidal ideation engage with and benefit from a therapeutic smartphone intervention (LifeBuoy). METHODS: A total of 455 community-based Australian young adults (aged 18-25 years) experiencing recent suicidal ideation were randomized to use a dialectical behavioral therapy–based smartphone intervention (LifeBuoy) or an attention-matched control app (LifeBuoy-C) for 6 weeks. Participants completed measures of suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, and loneliness at baseline (T0), post intervention (T1), and 3 months post intervention (T2). Piecewise linear mixed models were used to examine whether loneliness levels moderated the effect of LifeBuoy and LifeBuoy-C on suicidal ideation and depression across time (T0 to T1; T1 to T2). This statistical method was then used to examine whether app engagement (number of modules completed) influenced the relationship between baseline loneliness and suicidal ideation and depression across time. RESULTS: Loneliness was positively associated with higher levels of overall suicidal ideation (B=0.75, 95% CI 0.08-1.42; P=.03) and depression (B=0.88, 95% CI 0.45-1.32; P<.001), regardless of time point or allocated condition. However, loneliness did not affect suicidal ideation scores across time (time 1: B=1.10, 95% CI –0.25 to 2.46; P=.11; time 2: B=0.43, 95% CI –1.25 to 2.12; P=.61) and depression scores across time (time 1: B=0.00, 95% CI –0.67 to 0.66; P=.99; time 2: B=0.41, 95% CI –0.37 to 1.18; P=.30) in either condition. Similarly, engagement with the LifeBuoy app was not found to moderate the impact of loneliness on suicidal ideation (B=0.00, 95% CI –0.17 to 0.18; P=.98) or depression (B=–0.08, 95% CI –0.19 to 0.03; P=.14). CONCLUSIONS: Loneliness was not found to affect young adults’ engagement with a smartphone intervention (LifeBuoy) nor any clinical benefits derived from the intervention. LifeBuoy, in its current form, can effectively engage and treat individuals regardless of how lonely they may be. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry ACTRN12619001671156; https://tinyurl.com/yvpvn5n8 INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): RR2-10.2196/23655