JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Fully automated digital technologies, such as AI and apps, provide a particularly promising way to promote and support mental health and well-being in university students due to their accessibility, scalability and cost-effectiveness amongst other factors. Nevertheless, they are currently impeded by suboptimal engagement and high dropout, limiting its effectiveness to promote and support mental health and well-being.

Objective:

This study aimed to understand university students’ experiences of engaging with AI and apps to promote and support mental health and well-being.

Methods:

University students were recruited who did not currently experience a mental health condition to ensure a non-clinical sample. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were adopted and focused on students’ experiences of engagement with AI and apps for their mental health and well-being. These interviews were conducted in April and May 2023 and lasted 30:02 minutes on average. Interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using a reflexive Thematic Analysis (TA).

Results:

A total of 21 interviews were conducted. Four main themes and four subthemes were constructed. The first main theme refers to the ‘need’ to engage with AI and apps for mental health and well-being. Specifically, this theme describes how non-clinical students would primarily use these technologies as support strategy when their mental health and well-being deteriorates, and their pre-existing mental health and well-being strategies are insufficient. The second theme refers to AI and apps as both a barrier and solution to stigma; while students are less inclined to access mental health apps due to stigma, they also consider apps to be less intrusive compared to other forms of support. The third theme considers a lack of trust in AI and apps. This lack of trust primarily exists due to a scepticism in the capabilities of AI and apps supporting and promoting mental health and well-being, and its (in)ability to safeguard mental health and well-being. The final theme describes how usage is dependent on unique AI and app characteristics. Students may engage more in AI and apps when humanity, warmth and care are considered less crucial, and when a lack of judgement and pressure is considered imperative.

Conclusions:

Overall, non-clinical university students were more likely to engage with AI and apps when they experienced a decline in their mental health and well-being. Thus, it could be more beneficial to adopt apps these technologies as support strategy rather than as a promotional strategy in a non-clinical sample. Furthermore, future policy and practice should implement strategies to safeguard mental health and well-being in AI and apps, and provide open and honest communication about capabilities of AI and apps in order to build trust and enhance engagement with digital technologies for mental health support.