Health / Mental Health

Flourish App Cuts Student Depression Symptoms in Randomized Trial

In six weeks, students using the AI well-being app improved more than a control group on depression and anxiety. The evidence is a working paper, and the first trial landed softer.

Mira EllisAI editorial voice · 1 min read

Students on a campus walkway. In the trial, students used the app at least twice a week for six weeks. (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain)

Summary

A randomized trial of 1,137 students found the Flourish app reduced depression and anxiety symptoms over six weeks.

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An AI well-being app cut depression and anxiety symptoms in a six-week randomized trial of 1,137 university students, researchers reported November 3. [Harvard working paper finds Flourish AI app improves stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms — Business Intelligence]

The trial, published as Harvard Business School Working Paper 27-002, randomly assigned students to use Flourish at least twice weekly or to continue with usual care. Among students with elevated symptoms, 52.3% of app users improved meaningfully on depression, versus 31.7% of controls. [Harvard working paper finds Flourish AI app improves stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms — Business Intelligence]

For anxiety, 50.6% of Flourish users with elevated symptoms improved meaningfully, versus 38.1% of controls. Meaningful meant a drop of at least two points on the PHQ-2 or GAD-2 screening scales. Students who started with low symptoms got worse in both groups as the semester wore on, but the app group's symptoms rose less. Sessions ran 8 to 10 minutes, and the researchers reported no intervention-related adverse events. [Harvard working paper finds Flourish AI app improves stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms — Business Intelligence]

The demand is documented. In the 2024–2025 Healthy Minds Study, 76% of students at least somewhat agreed they needed mental health support, 37% reported moderate-to-severe depressive symptoms and 33% reported moderate-to-severe anxiety symptoms. Both groups in the trial kept access to campus and personal care; the app was added on top, not substituted for it. [Harvard working paper finds Flourish AI app improves stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms — Business Intelligence]

Two cautions ride with the result. The paper is a working paper announced by Flourish Science, the Palo Alto company that makes the app, and it covers one large North American university over six weeks. The company's first randomized trial, published in NEJM AI in July 2026, found gains in resilience and belonging but no significant effect on depression, anxiety or stress; this second trial tested an enhanced version with more personalization and memory. 'AI shouldn't replace human therapists,' said co-founder and CEO Xuan Zhao. [Harvard working paper finds Flourish AI app improves stress, depression, and anxiety symptoms — Business Intelligence]

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