National Digital Mental Health Study

Frequently Asked Questions about Participating in the National Digital Mental Health Study at UCLA

• What questions do I need to answer online in order to determine eligibility?

  We will ask you about your age, sex, race and ethnicity, about whether you are fluent in English, about your personal smartphone, your height and weight, the state that you live in, and certain medical conditions. Answers to these questions will help us determine if you are eligible to participate in this study, at this time. If you are not eligible at this time, you will be asked if you are interested in being contacted if enrollment re-opens.

• Why am I not eligible at this time?

  If you are not older than 18, are not fluent in English, do not own a certain model of iPhone with access to data plan and Wifi, have certain health conditions or endorse certain factors about your residence, or are not willing to follow study instructions, you are not eligible to participate in our research study. As part of our study goals, we are attempting to recruit a sample of patients that is nationally representative. This means that we are looking to enroll participants with a variety of demographic characteristics. You may be found to not be eligible at this time if we have enrolled enough participants sharing your demographic characteristics.

• Is this study available in languages other than English?

  The study is currently only available in English.

• Will my doctor know if I participate in this study?

  No, your doctor will not know about your participation in this study. Although you can discuss your participation with your health care provider, we are committed to keeping your participation in this study confidential.

• Can you share my personal study data with me (or my doctor)?

  Other than sharing progress reports at the end of quarter, reflecting your progress towards earning quarterly compensation, we are unable to share your individual results from the study with you or your health care provider. This includes, but is not limited to, behavioral health tracking data obtained from your phone sensors.

• I don’t live in L.A. Can I still be in the study?

  Yes! We are recruiting participants across the US. And all research procedures are conducted remotely. Participants must reside within the US for the duration of the study (i.e., six months).

• Can I travel while I am enrolled in the study?
  • You can travel inside and outside of the US while enrolled in the study, but you are still required to complete daily assessments and use the devices daily in order to receive compensation, which includes having access to Wi-Fi and being able to meet the charging requirements.
  • If you are traveling in a location that does not have Wi-Fi or enable you to meet daily charging requirements, this may affect compensation earned for that quarter.
  • The Intake Assessment session and Check-in Sessions cannot be completed while you are outside of the US.
• Can I enroll in other Research app studies?

  There is no restriction against enrolling in other studies available through the Research app, so long as it does not affect your participation in this study, and you complete the required assessments as part of this study.

• Can I participate if I know someone, live with someone, or am related to someone who is enrolled in this study?

  At this time we have no restrictions against that, but both individuals need to be eligible to participate in the study. Eligibility is determined by completing our screening and eligibility questions online.

• What information will be collected using my phone?

  Once you have signed the study consent form and enrolled in the study, we will help you install an app on your iPhone (Apple Research app), which uses sensors embedded on your iPhone to record information about:

  • Personal health (via Apple Health App which gathers health data from the iPhone, Apple Watch, and apps) such as: demographic information, medical records, health history, and workouts. Additionally, blood pressure and sleep information will be obtained if they are recorded in the Health app.
  • Device and application data, such as number of steps taken, distance walked, location (not the address of the location), phone usage, keyboard metrics (such as typing speed), survey data, and other biosensor (accelerometer, gyroscope, speech metrics [such as speech rate and pitch], and face metrics [such as brow raises and eye blinks]) data.
  • The Apple Watch paired with the iPhone will record health metrics such as calories burned, minutes spent exercising, and heart rate, which will be stored in the Apple Health app.

  Again, the data described above will only be collected if you choose to sign the study consent form, enroll in the study, and install the Apple Research app. If you are not comfortable sharing this information you can choose not to participate, and if you change your mind you can withdraw from this study at any time.

• How do I withdraw from this study?
  • Your decision to participate in this study is voluntary. You can choose not to participate or stop participating in the study at any time, for any reason, without penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled and without any effect on your future medical care.
  • You can withdraw from this study by contacting the study team and by withdrawing from the study within the Apple Research app on your iPhone. Withdrawing from a study doesn't delete any previously gathered data, but the app stops collecting any new data. Deleting the Apple Research app from your iPhone does not withdraw you from this study.

• What is the Apple Research app?

  The Apple Research app allows you to find, enroll, and participate in Apple research studies using your iPhone, including allowing you to share certain information collected by your iOS and watchOS. Any information collected or accessed by the Apple Research app is stored in encrypted form if you have a passcode on your iOS device. The Apple Research app can be used to understand the goals of the study, see the types of study data collected, and complete tasks that are part of your participation in the study.

• Do I have to have my own iPhone to participate in the study?

  Participants must own a functioning iPhone 11 or later with iOS 18 or later to use for the duration of the study.

• Can I use a friend or family member's iPhone to participate?

  No, you can only use your own iPhone with your own iCloud account. This is to ensure data integrity and confidentiality.

• Can I participate if I share an iCloud account with others?

  If you share an iCloud account with others, you should sign out of the iCloud account on devices that are not used exclusively by you; or, you can create your own iCloud account to use on the devices that are used exclusively by you.

• Can I participate in the study if I have family sharing set up for my iCloud account?

  Yes, if you have family sharing set up for your iCloud account, you can still participate in the study.

• Can I upgrade or downgrade my iPhone during the study?

  Yes. If you change your iPhone during the study, we ask that you perform an iCloud back-up before switching, and restore from the iCloud back-up on the new phone in order to maintain enrollment in the study. There are additional steps to ensure transfer of the Research app and study enrollment, so please contact the study team before changing iPhones during the study.

• Do I need an Apple Watch to participate in this study?

  No, an Apple Watch is not required to participate in this study. An Apple Watch will be provided for use in the study; if you provide the required amount of data, you will be eligible to keep the watch at the end of the study.

  If you own your own Apple Watch S8 or later, with watchOS 11 or later, you can use your own Apple Watch for the duration of the study; if you provide the required amount of data, you will be eligible to receive a new watch at the end of the study.

• Do I have to wear Apple Watch on a specific wrist?

  You can choose which wrist to wear the device on, but it is important to wear the Apple Watch on the wrist chosen during set-up. If you change position after set-up, please update in Apple Watch app.

• Can I use a different Apple Watch band than the one provided by the study?

  Yes, you can use a different band so long as it continues to be worn snug on your wrist. If you find that sleeping with the provided Apple Watch Sport Band is uncomfortable while sleeping, we encourage you to purchase an alternative watch band.

• What happens if the provided Apple Watch is damaged?

  If the study-provided Apple Watch is cracked or damaged during the course of the study, you will be instructed to contact Apple Care. You may be required to pay a fee to replace the damaged device.

• What are the Apple Watch wear requirements?

  You will be asked to wear your Apple Watch for at least 20 hours each day, which includes during the day and while sleeping. You will be asked to charge your Apple Watch for at least 2 hours each day to meet the 20-hour requirement.

• What are the daily charging requirements?
  • In order to support data collection, you will be asked to meet daily charging requirements, which includes charging your Apple Watch and iPhone together for at least two hours each day, while the devices are connected via Bluetooth and are connected to the same Wi-Fi. You do not have to charge during the same two hours each day.

• What do I need to do in order to prepare for the first assessment session?
  • You will need sufficient time to set up the study devices and prepare for the first assessment session once you have received your Study Kit (if you are being provided an Apple Watch to use for the study).
  • The following steps are required by all participants before the scheduled intake assessment:
  • Confirm you are on the latest iOS version
  • Confirm that you can download apps to your iPhone, which may require having your Apple ID username and password available if needed
  • Pair the provided Apple Watch to your iPhone, or ensure your Apple Watch is paired to your iPhone
  • Confirm your Apple Watch is on the latest watchOS version. If an update is needed, this requires that Apple Watch be placed on the charger and may take at least an hour to complete
  • Complete a series of self-report surveys which are sent to you by email, and take approximately 45 minutes to complete
  • Prepare your space to ensure you are in a private location, where you can access a tablet or laptop in order to speak with the study team member via Zoom, have access to your Apple Watch and iPhone, and have access to stable Wi-Fi for the duration of the assessment
  • You must have access to a stable Wi-Fi connection during your intake assessment, and you will need access to a secondary device (tablet or laptop) in addition to your iPhone for the assessment.
  • If you have not completed these tasks prior to the intake assessment, the study team will have to reschedule your session, and if unable to reschedule within the required time period, you will be unable to continue in the study.

• How is my study data kept confidential?
  • The study data that is collected from or about you as part of the study (including any information that can directly identify you, such as your name and address) will be held confidential by the UCLA Study Staff at the study site in a secure database or locked location. Access will be limited to those members of Study Staff who need access in order to administer and conduct the study and they will be required to complete training about requirements to protect your privacy.
  • The Sponsor will access and hold data collected through the study in an anonymized and coded form which will minimize, but not completely eliminate, the chance of you being directly identified in the study. This Coded Study Data, including the video journal in the Apple Research App, will be stored in a secure database. Access will be limited to those who need access in order to conduct analysis. All Coded Study Data will also be treated by the Sponsor in accordance with this consent form and its privacy policy (https://www.apple.com/legal/privacy/apple-health-studies/en-ww/).

• How much money can I earn from this study?
  • You can earn up to $600 for completing all of the study assessments, which includes completing daily tasks, wearing the Apple Watch for at least 20 hours daily (including while sleeping), and meeting daily charging requirements.
  • You will receive $60 for completing the Intake Assessment session, including all assessments sent before and after this session.
  • You will receive $30 for completing at least 2 of the 3 phone Check-In Sessions on schedule.
  • Compensation for the remote tasks is provided at the end of each quarter (3-month period). The total amount of compensation is tied to rate of completion of the assessments per quarter.
  • High-Frequency Remote Tasks includes daily mood surveys, daily watch wear, and weekly tasks completed online or on your iPhone.
  • Infrequent Remote Tasks include completing Stress Logs on your Apple Watch 6 times each day for one week straight, during 4 weeks throughout the study period.
  • If you complete enough High-Frequency Remote Tasks over the study to reach Base tier in both quarters and complete all intake and final (week 26) assessments, you may be able to keep the Apple Watch. If you do not complete enough assessments to be eligible to keep the watch, and one was provided to you for use during the study, Study Staff will contact you until the device is returned.
  • You will receive a US Bank Focus Blue Program Visa debit card that can be filled by research staff to transfer payment. The Visa card may be included in your study kit or mailed once the intake assessment session is completed, in which case it will arrive in 7-10 days. Once you have confirmed receipt of the card, compensation for the amount earned after the intake assessment will be loaded onto the card and will be available immediately. Compensation will be issued to this same card at quarterly intervals throughout the study. Final earned compensation will be loaded one week after all steps and assessments have been completed at the study end and you have completed an online form to confirm withdrawal from the study in the Apple Research app and returned any study devices (if required).
  • You must complete enough assessments to reach at least the Base tier in order to receive any additional compensation after the initial intake compensation.



• Do I get to keep the Apple Watch at the end of the study?
  • You may be able to keep the Apple Watch at the end of the study if you complete enough High-Frequency Remote Tasks over the study to reach Base tier in both quarters and complete all intake and final (week 26) assessments. If you do not complete enough tasks to be eligible to keep the study devices, Study Staff will contact you until the devices are returned.
  • If you use your own Apple Watch during the study, and if you complete enough High-Frequency Remote Tasks over the study to reach Base tier in both quarters and complete all intake and final (week 26) assessments, you will receive an Apple Watch at the end of the study.
• Can I purchase the Apple Watch at the end of the study if I don't provide the required amount of data to keep it?

  The Apple Watches are distributed for research purposes and are not available for sale or purchase. If you do not complete enough tasks to be eligible to keep the study devices, study staff will contact you until the devices are returned.

• When will I be paid during the study?
  • Participants must confirm receipt of the US Bank Focus Blue Program Visa card before compensation can be issued.
  • If you complete the required assessments, you will receive compensation at three different time points:
  • (1) After the Pre-Intake surveys and Intake Assessment have been completed. This includes the completion of all Pre-Intake surveys, Intake Assessment, and tasks administered during and after the Intake Assessment session.
  • (2) After the end of the first quarter, based on the steps and tasks completed at this point.
  • (3) After the second quarter, based on the steps and tasks completed at this point, and after completing the final set of online surveys at Study End, including the final study offboarding step.
  • Compensation will be issued within approximately one week of each of the above timepoints. Compensation may be delayed if the study team is working to resolve issues with missing data with you.
• Who can I contact if I have questions or concerns about the study?

  You can contact the study team by emailing digitalhealthstudy@mednet.ucla.edu