Enrollment is closed at this time.
If you are you a patient of the UCLA Health System or a matriculating UCLA Student, you may be eligible to participate in a research study sponsored by Apple Inc. and the UCLA Depression Grand Challenge.
We are looking to advance our understanding of causes and trajectories of depression, stress, anxiety, and their potential relationship to other conditions, such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, neurological disorders and cancer, which includes the exploration and development of objective measures relevant to these conditions.
Study participation requires for you to have an iPhone 8 or later, operating on iOS 15 or newer, and with access to data plan and Wifi*. To learn more about how to determine whether your phone is eligible, click here.
Research participation involves completing daily tasks for approximately one year, including four assessment appointments with our research team over the course of the study, which will be conducted by secure video conference.
You will be asked to complete a series of online self-report surveys before each assessment, and two of the assessment sessions include a clinical interview that will be recorded. We will help you install apps on your iPhone and provide you with a smartwatch (Apple Watch**), sleep monitor (Beddit), and charging hub to use for the duration of the study.
Over the one-year period, we will ask you to:
- use these devices daily, which includes wearing the Apple Watch that is provided by the study for at least 20 hours each day (including sleeping with the watch on)
- meet daily charging requirements, which requires (1) charging your Apple Watch and iPhone together for at least 2 hours each day while the devices are connected via Bluetooth and on the same Wi-Fi and (2) charging your iPhone next to your Beddit while sleeping using the provided charging hub
- report daily on symptoms using the app installed on your iPhone
- complete weekly and monthly assessments using the app or using links sent to you by email
- make recordings as you answer questions about how you are feeling on your iPhone every month
- and at 4 different intervals during the study, complete additional surveys on your iPhone 3 times per day, for 1 week straight
You may be asked to complete two of the assessment visits in-person at UCLA if you can show valid proof of up-to-date COVID-19 vaccination and photo identification. If you are invited to complete assessment sessions in-person, you may have the option of providing a hair sample for additional compensation.
You may also be asked to complete a longer clinical interview for additional compensation before the end of the study.
Study participation is expected to require a total of 37 hours over approximately 55 weeks. You can earn up to $1070 for completing all study assessments, which includes completing daily tasks, daily and nightly watch wear, and following daily charging requirements. If you complete at least 58% of the assessments over the one-year period and return to the exit visit, you will be able to keep the Apple Watch and Beddit.
Furthermore, participants who provide a hair sample can additionally receive $15 for each hair sample (up to $30); participants who are asked to complete a longer clinical interview can receive an additional $80; and participants who continue to complete assessments after week 52 but before the exit session can earn an additional $15 for each complete week of tasks completed.
You will be asked if you would be willing to provide a blood sample for additional compensation ($50).
Participating or not participating in this research will not affect the healthcare you receive from your doctor. Participation is entirely voluntary. This study is not to provide treatment.
Before the Principal Investigator (PI) and UCLA Study Staff share your study data with Apple and other researchers, your name and other contact information will be removed and a random, unique code, known as the Study ID Number, will be assigned to the data. This code will not be based on any information about you.
In order to determine if you are eligible, you will be asked to answer a series of questions about yourself, and may be asked to answer questions about current symptoms of depression that you may be experiencing. If you are eligible based on your responses, you will be directed to our enrollment page, where you will have an opportunity to read the consent form before deciding to enroll. If you are not eligible to enroll at this time based on your responses, you will be asked whether you would like to be contacted at a later date if enrollment opens to you.
If you are eligible, after you provide consent and enroll in the study, you will be asked additional questions to prepare for your participation in the study before being able to schedule your first session with us online.
If a page remains idle, you will be logged out. You can re-enter your email and phone number, and verify your number via text message, to resume.
For a list of Frequently Asked Questions, click here.
For a list of Emergency and Outpatient Resources, click here.
To continue, please select Next.
* If you are a UCLA student interested in participating in the study but do not own an iPhone, you may be able to receive an iPhone (XS Max) for use for the duration of the study. Please proceed to determine if you are eligible. If you are eligible and enroll in the study and your status as a matriculating UCLA student is confirmed, you can request to receive an iPhone from the study team for the duration of the study. You will be responsible for transferring your SIM card into this unlocked phone and maintaining the data plan for the duration of the study, and you will be required to return the device at the end of the study. This option is only available for eligible matriculating UCLA students.
** The Apple Watch provided is either Series 6 or 7. Color and size are based on available inventory. The provided Apple Watch must be used for study participation.