Effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students: An umbrella review
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Background: Poor mental health among university students remains a pressing public health issue. Over the past few years, digital health interventions have been developed and considered promising in increasing psychological wellbeing among university students. Therefore, this umbrella review aims to synthesize evidence on digital health interventions targeting university students and to evaluate their effectiveness. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed in April 2021 searching PubMed, Psychology and Behavioural Science Collection, Web of Science, ERIC, and Scopus for systematic reviews and meta-analyses on digital mental health interventions targeting university students. The review protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews PROSPERO [CRD42021234773]. Results: The initital literature search resulted in 806 records of which seven remained after duplicates were removed and evaluated against the inclusion criteria. Effectiveness was reported and categorized into the following six delivery types: (a) web-based, online/computer-delivered interventions (b) computer-based Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), (c) mobile applications and short message service (d) virtual reality interventions (e) skills training (f) relaxation and exposure-based therapy. Results indicated web-based online/computer delivered-interventions were effective or at least partially effective at decressing depression, anxiety, stress and eating disorder symptoms. This was similar for skills-training interventions, CBT-based intervention and mobile applications. However, digital mental health interventions using virtual reality and relaxation, exposure-based therapy was inconclusive. Due to the variation in study settings and inconsistencies in reporting, effectiveness was greatly dependent on the delivery format, targeted mental health problem and targeted purpose group. Conclusion: The findings provide evidence for the beneficial effect of digital mental health interventions for university students. However, this review calls for a more systematic approach in testing and reporting the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions.
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A recent umbrella review on the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students determined that web-based interventions and online skills training are at least partially effective in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression, but the evidence is inconclusive for the effectiveness of interventions using virtual interventions and relaxation.
“A recent umbrella review on the effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students also determined that, although web-based interventions and online skills training are at least partially effective in reducing anxiety, stress, and depression, the evidence is inconclusive for the effectiveness of interventions using virtual interventions and relaxation [70].”
An umbrella review including seven systematic reviews or meta-analyses found research support for expanding access to digital mental health interventions for university students.
“The most recent synthesis of evidence for ICBT interventions for university students, an umbrella review including seven systematic reviews or meta-analyses, found research support for expanding access to digital mental health interventions for university students”
From Transdiagnostic and tailored internet intervention to improve mental health among university students: Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [13]
The evidence base for internet interventions targeting university students is cautiously positive, but currently not robust.
“The evidence base for internet interventions targeting university students is cautiously positive, but currently not robust [11–13].”
From Transdiagnostic and tailored internet intervention to improve mental health among university students: Research protocol for a randomized controlled trial (2024) · cites this paper as [13]
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- Authors
- Harith, S., Backhaus, I., Mohbin, N., Ngo, H. T., & Khoo, S.
- Affiliations
- University of Malaya (MY)
- Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf (DE)
- Health Promotion Unit, Pekan District Health Office, Pekan, Pahang, Malaysia
- Vietnam National University Ho Chi Minh City (VN)
- Corresponding author
- Backhaus, Insa
- Khoo, Selina
- Venue
- PeerJ
- Publisher
- PeerJ
- Published
- 2022-03-31
- Volume
- 10
- Pages
- e13111
- ISSN
- 2167-8359 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC8977068
- OpenAlex
- W4221021975
- Cited by
- 105
- References
- 42
- Citations by year
- 2026: 31 · 2025: 28 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 13 · 2022: 5
- FWCI
- 3.28
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- gold
- doi.org
- Locations
- PeerJ (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Ghent University Academic Bibliography (Ghent University) (submittedVersion, cc-by-sa)
- DOAJ (DOAJ: Directory of Open Access Journals) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- SATU Joint Research Scheme (ST024-2020)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Applied Psychology › Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Keywords
- digital mental health interventions, university students, student mental health, psychological well-being, depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, online intervention, computer-based intervention, cognitive behavioral therapy, mobile application, short message service, virtual reality intervention, skills training, relaxation training, exposure therapy, intervention effectiveness
- MeSH terms
- Systematic Reviews as Topic, Humans, Mental Health, Students, Universities, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
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