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Project

Investigating the mechanism of health apps: how does the user-app relationship impact the clinical outcomes

Published on the 23 June 2025
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The client-therapist relationship (therapeutic alliance) is a reliable predictor of successful outcomes in face-to-face therapy. In light of this, the user-app relationship may also be associated with clinical outcomes in digital health contexts. Fangziyun Tong has developed a scale to assess the quality of user-app relationships. In this project, we aim to investigate the associations between the user-app relationship, engagement, and outcomes across various populations and types of health apps. We will collect and analyse both self-reported data (e.g., clinical measures) and objective data (e.g., usage/engagement metrics).

The ideal candidate should

  1. have a background in data science or computer science or other related fields;
  2. have research experience and an output (i.e. journal paper, master thesis);
  3. have interests in (mental) health;
  4. have knowledge of psychology (preferred but not required).
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Centre

Centre for Big Data Research in Health

Primary supervisor

Mark Larsen

Secondary/Joint supervisor

Fangziyun Tong

PhD Top-Up Scholarships

The Centre for Big Data Research in Health (CBDRH) is excited to launch Top-Up Scholarships for high-achieving domestic and international candidates seeking to start a PhD in 2025.

Our research home

The Centre for Big Data Research in Health (CBDRH) actively fosters a broad community of researchers who are adept in advanced analytic methods, agile in adopting new techniques and who embody best practices in data security and privacy protection.