The YouthMood project aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of MoodGYM in preventing and reducing symptoms of depression and anxiety in young people aged 15-16 years by increasing resilience skills. This project was conducted in association with the ANU Department of Psychology, and involved 30 schools and 1,477 students. Participants received either the MoodGYM program or were allocated to a wait-list control.

Compared to the control group, people receiving MoodGYM had lower levels of anxiety, which were shown to persist at six months follow-up. Male participants receiving MoodGYM showed reductions in depressive symptoms, which persisted at six months follow-up.  

These results were published in the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology in 2009.

Reference:
Calear, A. L., Christensen, H., Mackinnon, A., Griffiths, K. M. & O'Kearney, R. (2009). The YouthMood project: A cluster randomized controlled trial of an online cognitive-behavioral program with adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 77(6), 1021-1032.