Table 7 Random-effects meta-analysis of between-group differences (intervention vs control) at post-intervention, moderated by the use of individual persuasive design principles

From: A meta-analysis of persuasive design, engagement, and efficacy in 92 RCTs of mental health apps

Effect size estimates

Persuasive design principal

Moderator (yes/no)

k

Hedges G

SE

Z

p

95% CIs

       

Lower

Upper

Reduction

No (0)

63

−0.432

0.066

−6.512

<0.001

−0.562

−0.302

Yes (1)

29

−0.444

0.065

−6.802

<0.001

−0.572

−0.316

Tunnelling

No (0)

11

−0.465

0.206

−2.264

0.024

−0.868

−0.062

Yes (1)

81

−0.433

0.050

−8.738

<0.001

−0.530

−0.336

Tailoring

No (0)

89

−0.429

0.050

−8.589

<0.001

−0.526

−0.331

Yes (1)

3

−0.551

0.248

−2.220

0.026

−1.038

−0.065

Personalisation

No (0)

46

−0.461

0.076

−6.043

<0.001

−0.610

−0.311

Yes (1)

46

−0.407

0.061

−6.639

<0.001

−0.527

−0.287

Self-monitoring

No (0)

47

−0.362

0.065

−5.574

<0.001

−0.490

−0.235

Yes (1)

45

−0.504

0.072

−6.980

<0.001

−0.645

−0.362

Simulation

No (0)

82

−0.398

0.046

−8.574

<0.001

−0.489

−0.307

Yes (1)

10

−0.760

0.255

−2.984

0.003

−1.260

−0.261

Rehearsal

No (0)

15

−0.243

0.083

−2.943

0.003

−0.406

−0.081

Yes (1)

77

−0.467

0.056

−8.406

<0.001

−0.576

−0.358

Praise

No (0)

83

−0.438

0.053

−8.236

<0.001

−0.542

−0.334

Yes (1)

9

−0.351

0.095

−3.707

<0.001

−0.536

−0.165

Rewards

No (0)

69

−0.471

0.056

−8.350

<0.001

−0.582

−0.360

Yes (1)

23

−0.303

0.094

−3.241

0.001

−0.486

−0.120

Reminders

No (0)

41

−0.435

0.078

−5.580

<0.001

−0.588

−0.282

Yes (1)

51

−0.432

0.063

−6.866

<0.001

−0.556

−0.309

Suggestion

No (0)

48

−0.483

0.081

−5.998

<0.001

−0.640

−0.325

Yes (1)

44

−0.383

0.058

−6.655

<0.001

−0.496

−0.270

Similarity

No (0)

92

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Yes (1)

0

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Liking

No (0)

92

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Yes (1)

0

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Social role

No (0)

86

−0.452

0.048

−9.334

<0.001

−0.547

−0.357

Yes (1)

6

−0.143

0.245

−0.582

0.561

−0.624

0.338

Trustworthiness

No (0)

18

−0.263

0.115

−2.285

0.022

−0.489

−0.037

Yes (1)

74

−0.473

0.052

−9.029

<0.001

−0.576

−0.370

Expertise

No (0)

52

−0.435

0.050

−8.702

<0.001

−0.532

−0.337

Yes (1)

40

−0.428

0.094

−4.537

<0.001

−0.613

−0.243

Surface credibilty

No (0)

90

−0.436

0.050

−8.807

<0.001

−0.533

−0.339

Yes (1)

2

−0.271

0.365

−0.742

0.458

−0.985

0.444

Real-world feel

No (0)

90

−0.436

0.050

−8.807

<0.001

−0.533

−0.339

Yes (1)

2

−0.271

0.365

−0.742

0.458

−0.985

0.444

Authority

No (0)

88

−0.444

0.051

−8.700

<0.001

−0.544

−0.344

Yes (1)

4

−0.209

0.100

−2.086

0.037

−0.405

−0.013

Third-party endoresement

No (0)

86

−0.446

0.051

−8.731

<0.001

−0.546

−0.346

Yes (1)

6

−0.237

0.145

−1.633

0.102

−0.522

0.047

Verifiability

No (0)

92

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Yes (1)

0

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Social learning

No (0)

84

−0.437

0.053

−8.222

<0.001

−0.541

−0.333

Yes (1)

8

−0.381

0.102

−3.731

<0.001

−0.581

−0.181

Social comparison

No (0)

90

−0.425

0.050

−8.589

<0.001

−0.522

−0.328

Yes (1)

2

−0.764

0.158

−4.840

<0.001

−1.074

−0.455

Normative Influence

No (0)

83

−0.462

0.048

−9.562

<0.001

−0.557

−0.367

Yes (1)

9

−0.159

0.190

−0.836

0.403

−0.532

0.214

Social facilitation

No (0)

87

−0.439

0.052

−8.510

<0.001

−0.540

−0.338

Yes (1)

5

−0.344

0.117

−2.940

0.003

−0.574

−0.115

Cooperation

No (0)

89

−0.440

0.049

−8.921

<0.001

−0.537

−0.344

Yes (1)

3

−0.197

0.325

−0.607

0.544

−0.834

0.440

Competition

No (0)

92

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Yes (1)

0

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Recognition

No (0)

92

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

Yes (1)

0

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

N/A

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