Italia Ti Ascolto [Italy, I am listening]: an app-based group psychological intervention during the COVID-19 pandemic

Background: the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic brought disruptive changes in everyone's everyday life, among which pervasive anxiety about the risk of infection, the fear of worsening physical symptoms, and the experience of isolation and loneliness due to lockdowns and other strict governments' rules. These kinds of repercussions of pandemic situations impact individuals' psychological wellbeing resulting in heightened perceived stress, anxiety, and depression. "Italia Ti Ascolto" (ITA) has been developed as an internet-based intervention to offer an online solution for psychological support needs. Methods: ITA is an app available on iOS and Android systems. Users complete a baseline assessment on emotion regulation strategies (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression), psychological stress, anxiety, depression, and perceived social support. Participants select between several one-hour long clinical groups held by expert psychotherapists. After every session, people are asked to complete a quick users' satisfaction survey. Discussion: Our contribution presents ITA's intervention protocol and discusses preliminary data on psychological variables collected at baseline. Data showed significant associations between emotion regulation strategies and depressive, anxious symptoms, and level of stress. Moreover, the role of perceived psychological support is considered. Future developments and implications for clinical practice and treatment are discussed.