Filling the mental service gap on campus: an effectiveness trial testing the utility of app-based mindfulness psychological intervention for college students
- Authors
- Min, Yeseul; Choi, Yong-Seok; Kim, Bin-Na
- Issue Date
- May-2024
- Publisher
- SPRINGER
- Keywords
- App-based interventions; Mental health; Depression; Anxiety; College students; Effectiveness trial
- Citation
- CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY, v.43, no.17, pp 15434 - 15444
- Pages
- 11
- Journal Title
- CURRENT PSYCHOLOGY
- Volume
- 43
- Number
- 17
- Start Page
- 15434
- End Page
- 15444
- URI
- https://scholarworks.bwise.kr/gachon/handle/2020.sw.gachon/91120
- DOI
- 10.1007/s12144-023-05402-6
- ISSN
- 1046-1310
1936-4733
- Abstract
- The number of students reporting mental health problems has been increasing, and university counseling centers are struggling to fill the mental health service gap. Telepsychological services such as app-based interventions have been proposed as viable alternatives; however, research on their effectiveness is insufficient. This study tested the effectiveness of an app-based intervention for college students on comprehensive indicators of mental health (depression, anxiety, stress, positive affect, and satisfaction with life) in a real-world setting. A total of 352 Korean undergraduates were initially enrolled and randomly allocated to either an intervention (four-week app-based intervention) or control (waitlist) group. Finally, the data of 185 students (intervention group, n = 91; control group, n = 94) were analyzed (attrition rate, 43%). The intervention group demonstrated improved mental health for all outcomes compared with the control group. When symptom severity was considered, participants with moderate-severe depression or anxiety symptoms at baseline displayed a greater reduction in symptoms than participants with mild symptoms. Our results suggest that app-supported interventions can serve as feasible and effective measures to satisfy the mental health needs of college students, even for those with considerable subclinical levels of depression and anxiety.
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