Scientific research Adapter: Better Insight into Depressive Symptoms in Patients in General Practice

What is Adapter?

Low mood and depression are common and can have a major impact on patients’ daily lives and those around them. During treatment, it is not always possible to regularly assess how symptoms are developing or whether treatment is having sufficient effect.
The Adapter study therefore investigates whether regularly monitoring symptoms using an app can contribute to better recovery from low mood or depression. The app is intended as an addition to usual care in general practice. Participants are assigned to one of two study groups. In both groups, participants receive information about low mood, depression, and recovery through the app. There may also be attention to personal treatment goals. The study investigates whether additional support through the app leads to better outcomes than usual care.
The study also pays attention to anxiety symptoms, as these often occur alongside low mood and depression. Because recovery is different for everyone, we also look at quality of life.
During the study, changes in symptoms and recovery are monitored. By comparing the results of the different study groups, we aim to determine which form of support is most helpful for recovery from low mood or depression.

The study

Low mood and depression are common and can have a major impact on daily life. The Adapter study investigates how digital support can contribute to recovery from low mood or depression.

Participants receive access to the Adapter app and are randomly assigned to different study groups. The app is used as an addition to usual care. To ensure that the results of the study are as reliable as possible, participants are not informed about the exact differences between the study groups.

The app was developed with the involvement of general practitioners, mental health nurses (POH-GGZ), people with lived experience, psychiatrists, and psychologists.

We first tested the app in a smaller study (pilot study). During this pilot, we collected feedback from users to develop the final version of the app. This version is being tested in the main study among 222 patients in general practices across the Netherlands. The study starts at the end of 2025 and runs until the end of 2028.

Pilot study Before the study

From November 2025 to summer 2026, we conducted a pilot study. In this study, we assessed the feasibility and usability of the app. Patients and their healthcare providers provided feedback on using the app. This feedback was used to further improve the app and prepare it for the main study.

Main study

The main study is a cluster-randomized trial. This means that participating general practices are randomly assigned to one of two study groups. Participants receive access to a smartphone app in addition to their usual treatment. The app provides support for recovery from low mood and depression.

To ensure that the study results are as reliable as possible, participants are not informed about the exact differences between the study groups. During the study, questionnaires are completed at several points to assess changes in symptoms and recovery.

The main study starts in December 2026 and will last approximately 20 months. We will follow approximately 222 patients for at least 6 months. The results of the study are expected in 2030.

Measuring symptoms of low mood

: Low mood and depression are common and can have a major impact on patients’ daily lives and those around them. It is therefore important to investigate how people experiencing these symptoms can best be supported.

For various health conditions, measurements are used to assess how someone is doing and how their recovery is progressing. Questionnaires can also be used for depressive symptoms. However, it is not yet clear how general practices can best use these approaches to support recovery.

The Adapter study therefore investigates different forms of digital support alongside usual care. We look at factors including changes in symptoms and recovery, as well as the experiences of patients and healthcare professionals.

The results of the study may help determine which forms of support are most effective in the treatment of low mood and depression in general practice. Based on these findings, recommendations may be developed for general practitioners and practice-based mental health professionals.