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That poll about mental health apps left out a huge piece of the puzzle | Debate the Data - Vivisector

That poll about mental health apps left out a huge piece of the puzzle

So I saw this big survey last month claiming 78% of people found therapy apps helpful for their anxiety. First off, I call bull because my buddy used one for 3 months and said it was just a chatbot telling him to breathe. But the real kicker was when I actually read the methodology. Turns out they only surveyed people who stuck with the app for more than 30 days. That's like asking concrete guys who've been on the job for 10 years if they like hauling mixers. My cousin tried three different apps and quit each one inside two weeks because they felt robotic. The data got shared everywhere but nobody mentioned that dropout rate was over 60% in the first week. Has anyone else noticed how these numbers get twisted when they cut out the people who didn't finish the test?

3 comments

3 Comments

amy_martin3mo ago

Well hold on, isn't it fair to say those dropouts might not have given the apps a real try? Two weeks is hardly enough time to learn if something actually works for you.

thomasgonzalez3mo ago

Give it a chance for more than two weeks and the data actually gets worse. Look at the 30 day retention numbers for most of these apps, they drop to like 30% or less. That means 7 out of 10 people who stuck it out for a whole month still bailed. The 78% stat is just a marketing trick. They pick the small group of people who finished the program, not everyone who started. It's like saying 90% of people who finish a marathon feel great, while totally ignoring the thousands who quit at mile 3.

cameron_hernandez693mo ago

Honestly, the dropout rate being over 60% in the first week is insane. Nobody talks about that because it makes the whole 78% number look like a total lie. It's just cherrypicking data to make these apps look better than they really are.

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