Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42403615›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychology2026

A self-management intervention for bipolar disorder using a WeChat mini program (Mood Calm): study protocol for intervention design, development, and a preliminary trial.

Xiaoling Lin, Zhengling Ba, Dali Lu, Ruoyun Ma, Minhua Chen, Caihong Zhu, Yingtao Liao, Xueying Yu, Yujing Liu, Duoduo Lin

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Xiaoling Lin *School of Nursing, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen, China.
Zhengling Ba *School of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Dali LuDepartment of Psychiatry, Xiamen Fifth Hospital, Xiamen, China.
Ruoyun MaSchool of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Minhua ChenDepartment of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Caihong ZhuDepartment of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yingtao LiaoDepartment of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Xueying YuDepartment of Psychiatry, The Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Yujing LiuSchool of Nursing, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
Duoduo LinXiamen Xianyue Hospital, Xianyue Hospital Affiliated with Xiamen Medical College, Fujian Psychiatric Center, Fujian Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, Xiamen, China.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Introduction: Bipolar disorder (BD) is a severe, chronic illness characterized by frequent relapses and persistent interepisode symptoms, even with standard pharmacological treatment. Digital self-management tools have the potential to broaden the reach of evidence-based approaches and improve healthcare delivery through immediate evaluation, tailored guidance, and notifications to healthcare providers, while collecting self-report and behavioral data to guide treatment decisions. This study describes the design, development, and a preliminary evaluation of "Mood Calm", a comprehensive self-management intervention for BD delivered via a WeChat mini-program. Methods: The intervention protocol was developed through a multiphase process. First, guided by Cognitive Behavioral Theory, an initial protocol was constructed integrating six modules: symptom monitoring, medication management, crisis identification, healthy lifestyle support, psychoeducation, and cognitive functioning training. Plans for wearable device integration were also included to enable passive monitoring of sleep and activity. Second, a literature review identified core functional components of digital self-management interventions for BD, and the protocol was subsequently refined via a Delphi expert panel. Third, the "Mood Calm" mini-program was developed using an agile framework. Then, a four-week, single-arm preliminary trial was conducted with five remitted patients with BD to assess feasibility and usability of the digital self-management modules delivered through the "Mood Calm" mini-program. These modules included symptom monitoring, medication management, lifestyle tracking via wearable device, and cognitive functioning training, but excluded psychoeducation and crisis intervention components which are planned for future randomized controlled trial (RCT). Results: All participants completed the trial, reporting high satisfaction and describing the application as user-friendly and easy to operate. However, system data indicated suboptimal self-reported medication adherence for three participants, prompting an immediate design revision to implement a one-click reporting function. Discussion: Findings support the feasibility and acceptability of the "Mood Calm" mini-program as a potential digital adjunct for BD self-management in China. This study establishes a protocol for a comprehensive intervention and provides preliminary evidence for the mini-program-based components. Future research will evaluate the full intervention, incorporating group psychoeducation sessions, in a definitive RCT.

Indexed as

bipolar disorderfeasibilityMood Calmself-managementsmartphone

Identifiers

PMID42403615
PMCPMC13330110

What Socratic holds

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LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.