Loading article...
Loading article...
Stream/Area:
-
Subject:
-
Paper ID:
IJSREM62221
Volume:
10 |
4 |
April 2026
Pages:
1-5
Publication Frequency:
Monthly (12 issues per year)
License:International Journal of Scientific Research in Engineering and Management follows the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0) License, allowing free use and distribution with proper attribution.
Computer Science & Engineering
Lovely Professional University
Computer Science & Engineering
Lovely Professional University
Computer Science & Engineering
Lovely Professional University
Computer Science & Engineering
Lovely Professional University
Computer Science & Engineering
Lovely Professional University
Higher education institutions globally are confronting a mental health crisis of unprecedented scale and severity. The transition to university life coincides with the peak age of onset for a majority of mental health disorders. Longitudinal data reveal that, in the last decade alone, the number of college students reporting clinically significant symptoms has doubled; recent surveys indicate that as many as 70% of students have experienced mental health challenges since commencing their studies. In response, Digital Mental Health Interventions (DMHIs) have emerged as a critical and scalable solution. This comprehensive review synthesises the current evidence base on DMHIs for students in higher education, examining their effectiveness in reducing clinical symptoms and enhancing psychological well-being, analysing the critical challenge of user engagement and adherence, exploring implementation strategies and ethical considerations, and investigating emerging technologies including conversational AI, virtual reality, and passive sensing. The review concludes with strategic recommendations for university administrators, developers, and researchers to maximise the real-world impact of these interventions while navigating the complex ethical landscape of digital mental health care.
KEYWORDS
The evidence is clear: DMHIs grounded in CBT and ACT are efficacious tools for reducing depression and anxiety and for enhancing psychological well-being [1]. They offer a scalable, accessible, and often anonymous alternative that can bridge the growing gap between student need and traditional campus service capacity. However, a central paradox persists: proven efficacy in controlled trials does not consistently translate into effective real-world impact. The primary barrier is the engagement conundrum—high attrition and low long-term adherence mean many students never receive a sufficient dose to benefit [1]. Successfully deploying DMHIs requires embracing UCD, personalising experiences, integrating human and peer support, adopting campus-wide stepped-care models [16], and proactively navigating the ethical challenges of privacy, equity, and algorithmic bias [18].
[1] S. Rashid et al., “Digital interventions for psychological well-being in university students,” Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, 2025. [2] “Overcoming mental health challenges in higher education,” Frontiers in Psychology, 2024. [Online]. Available: Link [3] The Hope Center for College, Community, and Justice, “Digital Mental Health Interventions at Colleges & Universities,” Temple University, May 2024. [Online]. Available: Link [4] The Hope Center, “Digital Mental Health Interventions at Colleges & Universities (Technical Report),” May 2024. [Online]. Available: Link [5] “Technology Initiatives Support Student Mental Health in a Modern Higher Ed Environment,” EdTech Magazine, Feb. 2025. [Online]. Available: Link [6] “Equity in Digital Mental Health Interventions in the United States,” Journal of Medical Internet Research, 2024. [Online]. Available: Link [7] S. Harith et al., “Effectiveness of digital mental health interventions for university students: an umbrella review,” ResearchGate, 2022. [Online]. Available: Link [8] “Engagement and Retention of College Students with Anxiety and Depression,” Montclair State University, 2022. [Online]. Available: Link [9] E. Broglia et al., “Digital Mental Health Interventions for University Students With Depression and Anxiety,” PubMed, 2024. [Online]. Available: Link [10] “Digital Overload among College Students: Implications for Mental Health,” MDPI Social Sciences, vol. 10, no. 8, p. 279, 2021.
Publication Date
5/1/2026
Peer Review Type
Double-Blind Peer Review
Review Rounds: 2
Documents
Article Views
0
Total views since publication
PDF Downloads
5
Total downloads since publication
Geographic Reach
5
Digital Preservation: This article is permanently archived on Zenodo and complies with all data preservation standards across major indexing platforms.
Plagiarism Screening
This manuscript has been checked for plagiarism using TurnitinPlagiarismChecker software.
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest related to this research work.
Funding Information
No funding information available for this research.
Related research in the same subject area
Loading similar articles...