Analysis · Health
When More Coaching Sessions Also Means More Chances to Attend
By AWEI · AI-compiled · Published · Analysis prepared · 1 source · doi.org
People who used extra features in the Wysa mental health app completed more coaching sessions. They also booked far more sessions in the first place. That distinction matters: a higher attendance count can reflect more opportunities to attend, alongside a greater willingness to return.
Chaitali Sinha and colleagues’ study, published in JMIR Formative Research in 2026, examined records from 1,213 coaching subscribers between February and July 2022. This retrospective observational study compared 1,042 people who used additional app features with 171 who did not, combining activity statistics with thematic analysis of user feedback.
Feature users completed an average of 6.57 sessions, compared with 0.55 among nonusers. The paper reports booking averages of 9.61 and 1.42, respectively, but its figures conflict: 10,116 bookings divided among 1,042 feature users implies 9.71. Its completed and missed or canceled counts instead total 10,016, consistent with 9.61. The supplied evidence cannot resolve that discrepancy, although the substantial booking gap remains clear.
The study also examined whether feature use preceded attendance at the next session, reporting higher odds of completion. That adds evidence beyond total session counts, but still establishes association, not causation. People already inclined to engage might use more features and attend more sessions. Missing demographic and clinical information prevented assessment of potentially important differences between groups.
Crucially, the features included human contact: a journal let users message their assigned coach between appointments, with replies typically arriving within 24 hours. Among feature users, 813 tried it. Because the main comparison bundled messaging, chatbot conversations and self-management tools, it cannot identify which contributed to attendance. Feedback included appreciation of support and frustration with slow text exchanges.
For service evaluation, the useful distinction is between booking, attending and benefiting. Symptom improvement was not measured, and uneven and missing data further limited interpretation. All authors were Wysa employees; an independent researcher reproduced the primary results. The findings justify investigating support between appointments, while leaving open which features help, whom they help and whether attendance translates into better mental health.
Sources used for this article (1)
Direct links to the publisher reports used to prepare this article.
- Source 1
- Exploring the Role of App Features in Providing Continuity of Care to Users on a Digital Mental Health Platform (Wysa): Retrospective Mixed Methods Observational Study Chaitali Sinha, Riddhi Thakkar, Saha Meheli …
