About Headgear

HeadGear is an easy-to-use smartphone app from Black Dog Institute, guiding users through a 30-day mental fitness challenge designed to build resilience and wellbeing and prevent things like depression and anxiety. Available on the App Store. The Headgear app is based on techniques proven to build good mental health, including a range of daily activities to help reduce and manage stress, improve sleep, connect with friends and deal with difficult situations better.

Who is Headgear for?

Headgear has been developed primarily for males who would like to improve their mental health and wellbeing, but can be used by anyone over the age of 18, looking to build good mental health.

Is there a cost to use Headgear?

No – Headgear is free to download and use.

How to access Headgear?

Headgear is available for free download on the App Store.

Headgear Research and Evaluation

Results from a randomised controlled trial showed that individuals who received the HeadGear intervention had significantly reduced depressive symptoms over the course of the trial compared to those assigned to the control group. Prevalence of depression over the 12-month follow-up period was 3.5% for HeadGear recipients compared to 8.0% for the control group.

The HeadGear group also showed significantly better presenteeism, resilience, and wellbeing at follow-up time points compared to the control group. Work performance was equivalent to an extra day of effective work each month.

The trial results are published in the Psychological Journal and can be read here.