The Use of mobile apps to support students’ mental health
Keywords:
Mobile application, mental health, college students, literature review, health technologyAbstract
Mental health among college students is an increasingly serious issue at both global and national levels. Students are vulnerable to psychological disorders such as stress, anxiety, and depression due to academic pressure and social demands. In the digital era, mobile applications have emerged as an accessible alternative solution to support mental health. This article aims to examine the use of mobile applications in supporting college students' mental health through a literature review of 12 scientific articles published between 2021 and 2025. The results show that mobile applications are effective in reducing levels of stress, anxiety, and depression among students. The most studied types include meditation apps, mood trackers, online counseling platforms, and mental health screening tools. However, challenges such as stigma, privacy concerns, infrastructure limitations, and lack of local cultural contextualization remain barriers to optimal use. On the other hand, the large number of smartphone users in Indonesia presents a significant opportunity for developing more relevant and inclusive mental health applications. Collaboration between technology developers, psychologists, educational institutions, and the government is essential to create a comprehensive digital mental health ecosystem for Indonesian college students.
Downloads
References
Astutik, F. (2023). Pelatihan resolusi konflik untuk menurunkan kecemasan dan meningkatkan kesejahteraan psikologis mahasiswa baru UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang (sertifikat hak cipta). https://repository.uin-malang.ac.id/16862/
Bautista, J., & Schueller, S. M. (2023). Understanding the Adoption and Use of Digital Mental Health Apps Among College Students: Secondary Analysis of a National Survey. JMIR Mental Health, 10, e43942. https://doi.org/10.2196/43942
Bear, H. A., Ayala Nunes, L., Ramos, G., Manchanda, T., Fernandes, B., Chabursky, S., Walper, S., Watkins, E., & Fazel, M. (2024). The Acceptability, Engagement, and Feasibility of Mental Health Apps for Marginalized and Underserved Young People: Systematic Review and Qualitative Study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 26, e48964. https://doi.org/10.2196/48964
Chen, B., Yang, T., Xiao, L., Xu, C., & Zhu, C. (2023). Effects of Mobile Mindfulness Meditation on the Mental Health of University Students: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 25, e39128. https://doi.org/10.2196/39128
Choudhury, A., Kuehn, A., Shamszare, H., & Shahsavar, Y. (2023). Analysis of Mobile App-Based Mental Health Solutions for College Students: A Rapid Review. Healthcare, 11(2), 272. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11020272
Fuaturosida, R., Agung, Y. R., & Fu’ady, M. A. (2025). Memahami kesehatan mental sebagai dimensi kesejahteraan sosial: Identifikasi tantangan dan solusi. http://repository.uin-malang.ac.id/25566/
Gustiadi, A., & Lazuardi, L. (2024). Pengembangan Aplikasi Skrining Kesehatan Mental. Jurnal Informasi Kesehatan Indonesia (JIKI), 10(2), 67–77. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.31290/jiki.v10i2.5039
Ihsanuddin, M. R., & Kurniawan, R. (2025). Kajian Literatur Teknologi Digital untuk Intervensi Kesehatan Mental. Jurnal Sains, Nalar, dan Aplikasi Teknologi Informasi, 4(2), 111–128. https://doi.org/10.20885/snati.v4.i2.40578
Karyati, E., & Julisawati, E. A. (2025). Kesehatan Mental Mahasiswa di Era Digital: Tinjauan Literatur Psikologi Klinis dan Sosial. Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Humaniora, 1(2), 442–451. https://doi.org/doi.org/10.63822/pmx2a928
Linardon, J., Torous, J., Firth, J., Cuijpers, P., Messer, M., & Fuller‐Tyszkiewicz, M. (2024). Current evidence on the efficacy of mental health smartphone apps for symptoms of depression and anxiety. A meta‐analysis of 176 randomized controlled trials. World Psychiatry, 23(1), 139–149. https://doi.org/10.1002/wps.21183
Listiyandini, R. A. (2023). Layanan Kesehatan Mental Digital: Urgensi Riset Dan Penerapannya Di Indonesia. Jurnal Psikologi Ulayat: Indonesian Journal of Indigenous Psychology, 10(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.24854/jpu789
Oliveira, C., Pereira, A., Vagos, P., Nóbrega, C., Gonçalves, J., & Afonso, B. (2021). Effectiveness of Mobile App-Based Psychological Interventions for College Students: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.647606
Rahmatullah, B., Basar, A. N. A., Hasgat, C., Putri, G. S., Tambunan, I. N., Mantika, S. H. A., & Faradiba, A. T. (2023). Pengaruh Meditasi Melalui Aplikasi X Terhadap Tingkat Kecemasan Mahasiswa. PSYCHE: JURNAL PSIKOLOGI UNIVERSITAS MUHAMMADIYAH LAMPUNG, 5(1), 34–44. https://doi.org/10.26905/psikologi.v5i1.971
Sholihah, T. (2019). Program Kesehatan Mental Mewujudkan Hidup Bahagia Melalui Bimbingan, Konseling, Psikotes, dan Ruqyah. UIN Maliki Press. http://repository.uin-malang.ac.id/8076/
Wardani, R. K., & Zaenab, B. D. (2024). Gambaran Layanan Konsultasi Kesehatan Mental Aplikasi Riliv di Indonesia Pada Masa Endemi COVID-19 Overview of Riliv Mental Health Consultation Service in Indonesia During COVID-19 Endemic. Jurnal Kebijakan Kesehatan Indonesia, 13(1), 6. https://doi.org/10.22146/jkki.88840
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Nafilla Afania Afania Safitri
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work’s authorship and initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal’s published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.
- Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.
