Semester Award Granted

Summer 2025

Submission Date

July 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Elizabeth Villares Sacks

Abstract

This phenomenological dissertation explored undergraduate students' lived experiences of using mental health mobile apps, AI, and other technology to manage mental health symptoms. The research focused on exploring three research questions: (a) perceptions of app effectiveness, usability, and features; (b) barriers and integration into mental health care routines; and (c) influences of privacy, peer influence, cultural backgrounds, and personal beliefs on app use.

Data were collected via purposive sampling through semi-structured interviews (N=12), each consisting of 15 open-ended questions, with students using a mental health app to improve their mental health. The interpretive data analysis was conducted by synthesizing participants’ responses via inductive coding and using a thematic analysis approach. Four primary themes and seven subthemes encapsulating students’ perspectives on mental health apps emerged.

Participants reported that the mental health apps aided in management and coping with symptoms like depression, stress, and anxiety. However, some students noted limited depth in journaling features, generic motivational notifications, and limited usefulness for severe issues. Participants perceived mental health apps as complementary to traditional mental health services, valuing their accessibility and convenience of having immediate access to information, but hoped for more evidence-based mental health apps. In addition to adherence challenges when engaging in mental health apps, some participants cited friction when discussing the limited personalization options affecting the adoption and integration of these technologies.

This study identified intrinsic motivation as a critical factor regarding app integration into mental health routines. Some participants reported consistent use, while others struggled with prioritizing their mental health rather than avoiding it. These differences align with Self-Determination Theory, emphasizing intrinsic motivation as essential for sustained behavior (Ryan & Deci, 2000). This suggests that a mental health apps’ effectiveness, in terms of engagement, depends on alignment with the students’ internal drives. Several factors, such as the variability of help-seeking behaviors, the importance of personalization (or lack thereof), the need for meaningful motivation within the mHealth apps, and the ongoing privacy concerns, reflect modern technology and mHealth app trends.

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