Mood monitoring apps — where is the evidence?
Monitoring wellbeing is not necessarily improving wellbeing
A recent trend in schools is to purchase access to a ‘check-in’ app that regularly asks students how they are feeling. These apps check students’ current mood each week. Students chose a response that ranges from feeling good, to feeling bad, to needing help.
For those wanting further assistance, most ‘check-in’ apps offer students the chance to receive help, often by the teacher of their choice. The app presumably alerts the chosen teacher to find the student, and check they’re ok.
On the surface, these apps sound like a helpful and caring idea. But I have a few concerns.
First, I am not aware of any evidence that shows that employing such apps improves student wellbeing. And yet some claim this.
To prove this properly, they would need to compare school wellbeing data. Ideally schools would be randomly assigned to using these apps or not, and then the research would compare student wellbeing improvement or deterioration over time.
This is important because just something sounds good, it is not necessarily helpful, particularly in mental health. We must always remember that good intentions don’t create immunity from doing harm.
For example, recent research showed that teaching mindfulness in some schools didn’t help all students and delivering the lessons were no more helpful than typical care provided by a school. In fact, over discussing feelings in these classes was seen as unhelpful for some students.
Testimonials from schools using check-in apps aren’t indisputable evidence either. There’s good reason that psychologists aren’t allowed to use client endorsements, as they have undue influence.
Just because one patient had huge success with a therapist, does not mean that other patients will find similar success with that professional. Likewise, just because one school found some students helped by such an app doesn’t mean all students, at all schools, will be similarly helped.
Schools have limited financial resources for wellbeing. Paying for these apps limits what else they can spend money on. If the apps identify particular problems, schools must then find the finance and resources to address the issues discovered.
Perhaps money is better spent on preventative programs, such as more extracurricular offerings to involve more students in the school community, training for parents and teachers to genuinely build resilience and confidence in children, or reduced teacher loads for more real-life check-ins with students.
Learning to manage one’s own mental health is more useful than fostering ongoing dependence on others noticing and asking. Students shouldn’t be taught to sit back and wait for someone to ask how they are feeling. They should be encouraged to identify their poor moods and deliberately undertake activities to improve their wellbeing.
If that doesn’t improve their mood, students should be taught to actively seek the assistance of a trusted person. This is better than giving teachers all the responsibility to check on what might be a momentary disposition in a student.
Schools are busy places and teachers don’t have endless time for additional responsibilities. Teachers care, but it is a huge ask for them to find the students requesting their attention. Imagine a teacher’s concern if they didn’t get to all of the students they were assigned that day.
Buying an expensive watch to check your activity levels may be a step towards becoming fit. But most of the work must come after a fitness problem is identified by said watch.
Similarly, we must be careful that we don’t put all our finances and energy into finding wellbeing concerns in students. We would be much better to help prevent mental health issues forming, as our primary focus.
Takeaway for parents
Current feelings are one aspect of their life. Tap into your child’s life experiences instead.
· One can be currently tired or cranky, but still be having a fulfilling life.
· Ask your child better questions, such as what they are excited about, what their focus is right now at school, or what subjects are challenging.
· Find out their interests by asking them about their favourite music or what You-Tube videos have absorbed them recently.
· Check that they can manage their occasional flat moods. Ask if they know what activities they could do to purposefully feel better. Also, if they have someone they know they could talk to.
