Background/purpose:
Tinnitus affects 10–15% of the population and can have a substantial impact on different areas of life. Although several tinnitus apps are available, little is known about what exactly is being offered via these apps. The current study aimed at identifying tinnitus apps and investigating intervention components as well as Behavior Change Techniques (BCTs, Michie et al. 2013).
Method:
The Google Play Store and Apple App Store were searched systematically to identify relevant apps. Apps were included if they were developed for tinnitus and available in English or German. Intervention components (e.g. psychoeducation, relaxation, mindfulness) and BCTs were assessed by two independent raters.
Results:
The systematic search yielded 1.073 apps. Of those, 57 apps (English: 34, German: 23) met the inclusion criteria. In apps available in German, three intervention components were most prominent:
providing sounds (n = 18), assessing tinnitus characteristics (n = 13), or informing about tinnitus (n = 9). Of 93 BCTs, 24 were identified at least once. Mostly used were “feedback on behaviour” (n = 9), “instruction on behavior” (n = 6), “prompts/cues” (n = 6), and “behavioral practice/rehearsal” (n = 6). Only one app was scientifically evaluated.
Conclusion:
The current findings for German apps showed that most apps are restricted to offering sounds or information on tinnitus while components recommended by treatment guidelines are less frequently found.
Noteworthy, BCT categories “goals and planning” or “reward” were rarely used, although digital technology offers creative features to support behavioral change through those techniques. Furthermore, to date, scientific evaluation is scarce. At the conference, findings for all included apps will be discussed.