In this app, users to choose from a list of situations they want help with such as ‘dealing with conflict’ and ‘coping with test anxiety’. They are guided through steps to learn about that anxiety problem and set up a personalised plan for coping better. The app allows users to rate and keep track of their anxiety levels and provides self-help tools such as relaxation exercises, visualisations, mindfulness strategies and inspirational quotes. For a more detailed description of the app, see Google Play or iTunes and for a detailed review, see Reviews.
PROS
CONS
✔ Simple tutorial on how to use app
✔ Comprehensive education section
✘ Users can only choose from a list anxiety situations, not create their own
✘ Emergency helplines are based in Canada
Privacy and security
The app has an option within settings to turn on password protection. No registration or user account is required to use the app. The app states that no personal information is collected and all the information provided via the app is stored locally on the device. Read more about things you can do to improve your safety and security when using apps.
Review details
Date of review: November 2017 Platform reviewed: Android App version: 1.2.3 Download size: 30.21 MB
Reviewer: Abbi Pritchard Jones, Adult mental health social worker Date of review:August 2017 Comments: This app is most useful for people who experienceanxiety. It is an extensive resource on the causes and management of anxiety. It is easy to use and provides insights that will be useful to people in real life situations. I liked the “Quick Tips ‘section that appears on every page of the app and provides instant strategies for managing anxiety. Also very useful are the mindfulness and breathing audio talk through exercises. While the app is comprehensive this may put some people off and find its various sections a bit confusing to navigate. The apps overall design is not the best and it would benefit from an overhaul to make it more pleasing to the eye and manageable. Safety concerns: None New Zealand relevance: The helpline numbers in the app are for Canadian users.
Formal MARS Review
The formal app review is based on the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) developed by researchers at Queensland University of Technology, Australia.(1) It is designed to score apps on a few comprehensive dimensions — engagement, functionality, aesthetics, and information quality. Each dimension comprises several items which are rated on a 5-point scale from “1.Inadequate” to “5.Excellent”. Read more about the MARS scale.
The mean score is the mean of two independent reviewers' ratings:
Reviewer:Maureen, Bay of Plenty, November 2016 Comments: I experienced a few glitches, error codes "Alert> Code:0> Message: Undefined... likely to cause confusion, especially if you were anxious at the time. Overall the app is written well for its intended audience. I was unsure about some of the content such as, Where does anxiety come from - current research indicates questionable around genetics, though I can see how it could be a learned behavior copied from parents etc. How can I overcome my fear - not so helpful advice if you are experiencing school bullying, i.e. face the things you fear, could be taken literally, plus keep in mind the Helpline offered appear to be Canada, States specific.
(1 review) 