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Ethics Board and could only use data from participants who had consented to be part of the
research study.
Interested participants sent a link to an online consent form. If they consented, they were
provided with the link to the "pre-survey" (Time 1). Individuals who completed the survey were
provided with a link to download Hugr Authentic Connections app onto their smartphones. The
Time 2 survey (i.e., mid-point) was administered three months after using the app and the Time 3
survey (i.e., post-survey) at the end of the study, six months after the study started.
All three surveys measured perceived isolation, loneliness, anxiety, and depression. The
Time 1 survey also collected basic demographic data about the participants. Participants were
automatically entered into a draw for a $100 gift card after completing each of the three surveys
(three draws of $100 each). Winners were contacted via the email address provided. Issues with
the surveys were handled directly by the research team, and issues with Hugr Authentic
Connections app were handled by the Hugr technical support team.
Measures
When reviewing the below data, it is helpful to keep in mind that a Cronbach alpha of
0.70 is acceptable; 0.80 or greater is preferred, with the general rule higher is better [56]. If
scores are in the mid to high 90s, there may be value in checking the scales to ensure items are
not measuring the same thing (e.g., to reduce scale redundancy).
Following is a summary of the scales used in this study:
Anxiety was measured using the General Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) [57]. Used to
screen and assess severity of anxiety, the seven-item self-report questionnaire asks how often
participants faced the mentioned symptoms during the last two weeks [58]. The items are linked
to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV)
