Examining a Digital Health Approach for Advancing Schizophrenia Illness Self-Management and Provider Engagement: Protocol for a Feasibility Trial

This study describes the protocol for a feasibility trial evaluating App4Independence (A4i), a digital health platform designed to improve illness self-management and treatment engagement among individuals with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. The planned study used a single-blind randomized design, with participants assigned to either A4i or a control condition and followed for six months. Feasibility measures included recruitment and retention, technology use, safety, and the usefulness of A4i in clinical interactions. Additional outcomes included psychiatric symptoms, treatment adherence, patient-provider alliance, and quality of life. The study was designed to determine whether A4i could enhance illness self-management and engagement with care and to provide evidence needed to guide further development and evaluation of the technology in community mental health settings.