An interactive robotic plushie called 'Purrble' could improve depressive symptoms in LGBTQ+ teens.
The research, published in Nature Communications, also found that participants were twice as likely to see improvements in symptoms of anxiety, and more likely to see improvements to their emotional regulation.
Results were compared with a group who had only created a safety plan – a tool commonly used by mental health practitioners to help navigate urges of self-harm.
Participants paired with a Purrble, as well as a safety plan, were five times (4.6) more likely to report that their symptoms of depression improved over the course of the study. They were also almost two and half times more likely to report improvements to their emotional regulation. These symptoms were measured through a weekly questionnaire.
The research surveyed more than 130 teens with thoughts of self-harm over 12 weeks.
The research team, led by experts at King's College London, alongside collaborators from Swansea University and the University of Nottingham, believe that this effective at-home treatment could be scaled up to run alongside more traditional mental health therapies to reach more at-risk children.
The research is part of the wider UKRI-funded Digital Youth Project, which is led by Professor Ellen Townsend from the School of Psychology and Professor Chris Hollis from the School of Medicine at the University of Nottingham.
Given the current (unmet) demand for face-to-face mental health support for young people is vital that novel, digital tools like Purrble are rigorously co-produced and evaluated. This important randomised controlled trial with Purrble highlights the potential for such tools to complement in-person approaches and improve mental health symptoms."
LGBTQ+ youth have been repeatedly shown to be more likely to experience mental ill-health, with 65.3% having a history of self-harm in the UK. Despite this heightened risk of poor mental health outcomes, the group reports experiencing additional layers to accessing treatment in traditional settings like their GP due to negative responses from clinicians and the fear of being dismissed or stigmatised.
The Purrble, designed by researchers at King's, non-profit the Committee for Children and and play-focused development studio Sproutel, could offer a new type of treatment that that can be sent directly to patients for as little as £25 plus shipping. The team hope that their device could remove some barriers to provide more accessible and affirmative forms of care without stigma.
Purrble works by simulating a fast heartbeat and shaking, encouraging its user to calm it through petting. As the plushie is pet, it slows to a purr supporting its 'carer' to separate themselves from challenging emotions in the moment and soothe themselves.
Over time, Purrble has been shown to help users better regulate their own emotions. By exercising this skill, the device acts as a transdiagnostic treatment – targeting the emotional dysregulation that sits at the centre of many mental ill-health diagnoses.
Dr Aubrey Rhodes, a Research Associate at King's and co-author of the paper, said "Emotional regulation is a core way that we use to control emotional distress, whether everyday or in more serious situations. Troubles around this are a big part around lots of mental ill-health.
"By giving patients a direct, accessible form of care, where their identity may otherwise create barriers for more traditional methods, we can provide affirmative treatment not only for mental ill-health, but to help people become more resilient to the stressors of everyday life too."
The team are now investigating why Purrble proved more effective in alleviating negative systems for cis-gender LGBTQ+ youth than transgender youth, where the effect is limited.
This latest study forms part of wider research project studying how digital mental health interventions could help patients.
