Digital Therapeutics for Anxiety: Efficacy of Mobile CBT in Emerging Adults

Abstract

Anxiety disorders are prevalent among emerging adults (ages 18–25), yet access to traditional cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) remains limited due to financial, geographic, and stigma-related barriers. Mobile-based digital therapeutics, particularly mobile CBT apps, offer a scalable solution to bridge this treatment gap. This article evaluates the efficacy of mobile CBT interventions in emerging adults by synthesizing evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published between 2020 and 2025. Representative studies, including the Maya and Foundations apps, alongside a large-scale meta-analysis of 92 RCTs, are analyzed to determine effect sizes, engagement outcomes, and feasibility. Findings indicate that mobile CBT produces small-to-moderate reductions in anxiety symptoms (pooled Hedges’ g ≈ 0.43), with some trials reporting larger within-sample changes (e.g., HAM-A mean reduction ≈ −5.64). Engagement and breadth of CBT content critically influence efficacy, while limitations include heterogeneous study designs, attrition, and limited long-term data. The review concludes that mobile CBT is a viable intervention for anxiety in emerging adults, particularly within stepped-care models, but calls for more rigorous trials, standardized reporting, and equity-focused implementation research.