App-based Intervention to Promote Mental Health Help-seeking Among University Students

Summary

It is estimated that approximately one in three university students has a mental health problem and between 5-10% have active suicidal ideation. Most college students do not receive professional treatment, which has been associated with structural and attitudinal barriers to help-seeking. Given that young people regularly use the internet to seek information about health problems, internet and digital technology-based interventions could represent an effective approach to overcome attitudinal barriers.

The goal of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of a mobile app-based intervention for the promotion of help-seeking in mental health services for university students at risk of suicide. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* Is it feasible to implement a mobile app-based intervention for the promotion of mental health help-seeking in a university context?
* Is it possible to increase the likelihood of help-seeking in mental health services among university students at risk of suicide through an app-based intervention?

Participants will receive a brief contact intervention (via phone call or chat) where they will be assessed by a clinical psychologist, receive information on available support services and instructions to download and use a mobile app called "Take Care of Your Mood". In addition, the participants can request a counseling session with a clinical psychologist. Participants will also receive reminder messages (by email and chat) motivating them to use the app or request a counseling session with a psychologist if they deem it necessary.

Researchers will compare this intervention with a brief contact intervention (control group) where participants will be assessed by a clinical psychologist, will receive instructions to download and use the app, but will not receive reminder messages or be able to access a counseling session with a psychologist.

Conditions

• Suicidal Ideation
• Suicidal Behavior

Interventions

DEVICE

App Take Care of Your Mood

The app provides psychoeducational information, contains several thematic modules (mindfulness, emotional regulation, healthy lifestyle habits, safety plan for crisis management, among others), allows mood monitoring, contains motivational messages and videos aimed at promoting help-seeking in mental health, and information on available support services.

BEHAVIORAL

Reminder messages and counseling

Participants receive reminder messages (by email and chat) encouraging them to use the app and to request a counseling session (via phone call, videoconference or chat) with a clinical psychologist if they think it is necessary.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Diego Portales

  collaborator OTHER

• Millennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), ANID - NCS2021_081

  collaborator UNKNOWN

• Millennium Institute on Immunology and Immunotherapy

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Chile

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Álvaro Jiménez-Molina, PhD · University Diego Portales

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-12-15

Primary Completion

2023-12-30

Completion

2024-07-30

Countries

• Chile

Study Locations