Recent Developments in Digital Mental Health Interventions for College and University Students

Purpose: Mental health problems are prevalent among university students. Insufficient resources at student health centers and other barriers to treatment result in low rates of students receiving treatment, potentially impacting academic performance and long-term health. Digital mental health interventions have been proposed as a means of reducing the treatment gap, given their potential for flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and stigma reduction. Recent Findings: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of short-term online interventions based on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and mindfulness have had promising short-term effects on measurements of anxiety, depression, and sleep when compared to waitlist controls in small to medium size non-clinical samples of predominantly women university students in high-income countries. Most interventions suffer from low adherence and completion rates, sometimes partially offset by personal support. The impact of these interventions on long-term mental health and academic outcomes remains uncertain. Summary: Although studies of Internet-based interventions have shown promising results, the effectiveness of current interventions is limited by low adherence and questionable long-term efficacy in real-world settings.