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News
A new Swedish trial found that adults on antidepressants who used a therapeutic smartphone game — paired with optional online CBT and on-demand therapist support — saw significantly greater reductions in depressive and anxiety symptoms over 9 weeks. Bonus: their medication adherence improved too.
A new randomized controlled trial out of Sweden suggests that a therapeutic smartphone game could be a meaningful add-on for people on antidepressants who still struggle with lingering depressive symptoms. The study tested a multicomponent digital intervention — anchored by a CBT-based serious game called Fig: The Game for Depression — against a waitlisted control group over 9 weeks.
The 148 participants (mean age ~40, 82% women) all had moderate residual depressive symptoms despite being on antidepressant medication. Those in the intervention group had access to the game, 25 optional internet-based CBT modules, and on-demand therapist support.
Why it matters: Residual depressive symptoms are common and hard to treat — they raise relapse risk and reduce quality of life. A scalable, engaging digital tool that also boosts medication adherence could fill a real gap in outpatient psychiatric care, though longer-term studies are needed.
