Sharpen® DTX was built on two decades of public health prevention and community-based research drawn from more than 50,000+ stakeholder surveys, hundreds of documentary listening sessions, and real-world deployment across diverse clinical settings before a single line of commercial code was written.
Every Sharpen® DTX module is built from the ground up on validated clinical science.
Kutcher et al. (2016) framework improving understanding of mental health, reducing stigma, and increasing help-seeking behaviors across populations.
Zero Suicide framework and HHS safety planning interventions (2024), with integrated CAT-SS computerized adaptive screening and 988 crisis escalation.
Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavior Therapy techniques embedded across 700+ therapeutic modules created with 4,000+ documentary-style peer, strength-based videos.
Burke Harris et al. (2020) principles addressing protective factors at individual, family, and community levels through the Social-Ecological Model.
20 years of CBPR through documentary listening sessions, with 50,000+ post-program surveys and 400+ research surveys informing every module.
Stanley et al. (2014, 2015) digital safety planning protocols with computerized adaptive testing in mental health and real-time alert systems.
Clinician-prescribed DTX delivered via Epic integration to pediatric eating disorder patients on the waitlist. Voluntary engagement rate of 59.4% exceeded the 4–11% digital health industry benchmark. Director of Adolescent Medicine subsequently expanded Sharpen DTX across all levels of care.
Integrated Heads Up Checkup (HCU) pediatric self-report screening with Sharpen Athlete for Division II student-athletes. Establishes best practices for deploying mobile mental health screening at scale across middle school, high school, and collegiate athletic settings.
Examined the effects of Robyn Hussa Farrell's 5 Minute Mindfulness™ program on adolescent volleyball athletes (VCOM/Upward Sports). Somatic anxiety significantly reduced at 4 and 8 weeks (p<0.01); athlete confidence rose to elite-athlete levels by week 8.
Accepted case study at ACM CHI 2026 (Barcelona). Draws on 10+ years of server-side engagement data across Sharpen deployments, documenting 56.84% average engagement rates versus the 4–11% digital therapeutics industry standard.
Addressed multi-tier (universal, targeted, intensive) mental health solutions for school behavioral health systems, drawing on Sharpen's validated SMHL curriculum and multi-year outcomes data from K–12 implementations.
Invited state-level presentation to New Mexico public health and education leadership on deploying Sharpen's digital mental health literacy and screening tools in school and community settings.
Clinical outcomes white paper from the Prisma Health pilot (N=37 eating disorder patients on waitlist). 59.4% voluntary engagement rate — 5–14× the digital health industry standard. Adolescents 14–17 accounted for 87% of usage; top content: body image and self-acceptance.
White paper on Sharpen MHL's preparation of Vescent college peer mentors. 100% crisis protocol comprehension; 85% greater readiness for mental health conversations; 88% improved understanding of trauma, eating disorder, and suicide risk connections.
Platform analytics white paper documenting real-world Sharpen DTX engagement across implementations. Benchmarks 5–14× the digital therapeutics industry standard, providing the empirical foundation for value-based care and payor-facing outcomes positioning.
Universal CAT-MH® screening with real-time clinical triage via Sharpen DTX dashboard. Of 1,275 student-athletes screened, 126 (9.9%) were flagged for elevated suicide risk — all received same-day clinical intervention.
Submitted conference presentation to the Association for Applied Sport Psychology Annual Meeting (Minneapolis, MN). Reports three-year Division I Sharpen Athlete outcomes: 1,275 athletes screened, 9.9% flagged for elevated suicide risk, 100% same-day clinical triage.
Qualitative investigation of university student-athlete perceptions of mental health and coping strategies through the Sharpen Athlete research program at UWG. Complements the quantitative Biber, Davis & Stewart 2023 screening study. Submitted to Journal for the Study of Sports and Athletes in Education (January 2026).
Qualitative investigation of Division II student-athlete mental health perceptions presented at the 2022 International Organization for Health, Sports, & Kinesiology 5th International Conference, Las Vegas, NV. Foundational qualitative work supporting the Sharpen Athlete research program.
Pre-post evaluation of Sharpen Mindful MEDS with VCOM medical students (N=54). MHL improved 12.8 points (p<0.0001, d>1.0); stigma scores dropped on the Opening Minds Scale. Equity finding across all class years, genders, and races.
Outcomes of the Sharpen SEDAP program piloted with medical students and residents at VCOM and Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System. Documents significant improvements in provider confidence and attitudes toward patients with eating disorders. Submitted to Medical Education (January 2025).
Effectiveness of Sharpen eating disorder training extended beyond medical students to community health workers. Broadens the SEDAP research program to community health workforce development. Submitted to International Journal of Medical Students (February 2026).
Customized Sharpen app with 9 evidence-based suicide prevention courses for NYC healthcare providers. Low provider confidence eliminated following training; 200+ certifications issued to licensed clinicians and health workers.
Multi-component NY OMH-funded program integrating professional development, parent MHL toolkits, and youth peer resiliency (ages 10–25). Year 3 evaluation: >85% client/family satisfaction, TFA fidelity 3.04/4.0, 200+ certifications issued.
Longitudinal IRB-approved study (N=334 completers) examining Sharpen SMHL's impact on foster parent resilience and self-compassion. Brief Resilience Scale d=0.267 (p<0.001); Self-Compassion Scale d=0.242 (p<0.001). Completion rate 83.33% — far exceeding digital therapeutics benchmarks.
Longitudinal IRB-approved study (N=334 completers) of Sharpen SMHL with the South Carolina Foster Parent Association. Brief Resilience Scale d=0.267 (p<0.001); Self-Compassion Scale d=0.242 (p<0.001). Completion rate 83.33% — exceeding digital therapeutics attrition benchmarks. Submitted to Children and Youth Services Review.
Qualitative pilot (N=16 psychology students) evaluating Sharpen MHL's efficacy in training college female peer mentors. 85% reported significantly greater preparedness for mental health conversations; 88% improved understanding of trauma, eating disorder, and suicide risk connections.
Pre-post evaluation of Sharpen MHL embedded in a UWG undergraduate health science course (N=29). 98% quiz completion, 94% average assessment scores, effect size d>1.0 on mental health literacy. Pending publication in Journal of American College Health.
Invited state-level presentation at the Zero Suicide Summit (Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services) demonstrating how Sharpen operationalizes the Zero Suicide framework for community and college settings.
Expert panel webinar with Dr. Alex Karydi covering postvention best practices for school, clinical, and community settings. Topics: prevention vs. postvention distinctions, contagion risk, supporting bereaved communities, and safe messaging guidelines.
Annual presentations to the Attachment and Trauma Network demonstrating Sharpen's trauma-informed MHL and MBSR content for foster and adoptive families. Highlighted outcomes from the multi-year SCFPA partnership and Sharpen Family's SC DSS certification.
Multi-year retrospective analysis validating Sharpen's social-ecological logic model across primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention. Across 60+ toolkit implementations: 56.84% average engagement, 96% positive recommendations, 7,551+ transitions from education to crisis resource activation.
A digital therapeutic that nobody uses is just software. Industry attrition rates run 89-96%. Sharpen's engagement rates across every population studied are categorically different, and predate the AI personalization layer currently in development with UC Berkeley.
We actively partner with academic medical centers, research institutions, and health systems. Download the full Clinical Brief or contact our research team directly.