Can a breathing app calm a stressed teen's mind in real time?
NCT ID NCT07717112
First seen Jul 21, 2026 · Last updated Jul 22, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This trial tests a smartphone app called E-breathing that detects when a teen is feeling distressed and prompts them to practice slow-paced breathing. The study includes 100 adolescents aged 11 to 17 in Hong Kong who have at least mild symptoms of depression, anxiety, or stress. Half will use the app with breathing prompts; the other half will only report their feelings. The goal is to see if real-time breathing exercises can reduce psychological distress.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- slow-paced breathing via a smartphone app
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this app could offer a simple, on-demand tool to help teens manage stress, anxiety, and low mood in real time.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early-stage trial with only 100 participants, so results may not apply broadly. The effect may be small or short-lived.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 100 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Oct 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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May 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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11 to 17 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Aged between 11 to17 years; 2. With at least one mild mental health state as reported by Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21; 3. Able to read and understand Chinese; 4. Have access to a mobile phone and data plan. Exclusion Criteria: 1. With a diagnosis of hearing, visual, or physical impairments that may hinder study participation; 2. With a diagnosed history of major mental illnesses or other diagnosed medical conditions that may affect study participation.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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The Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Kowloon, Hong Kong
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