3 - (Sym 77) Challenges and Lessons Learned in the Dissemination and Implementation of a Self-guided Mental Health App for College Students

Mental health apps may broaden the reach of mental health resources on college campuses. 

Following a user-centered design process, we adapted a mental health app for college students and developed an implementation plan at two universities external to the research team. A pragmatic, open trial, began in the month prior to the pandemic (February 2020) and ran through December 2020. In this presentation, we discuss challenges and lessons learned in disseminating the app. 

Initially, both in-person and digital strategies were used. Following stay-at-home orders, digital strategies were relied upon (e.g., emailing organizations, posting to campus-specific social media, and contacting professors and student affairs staff). Information about the program was included in emails that went out to all students at both universities. However, out of a combined student population of ~50,000 students, only 117 students downloaded the app, demonstrating that these strategies were ineffective. 

Students in our design studies emphasized the need to learn about new resources in multiple places. The delay between design activities on campuses pre-pandemic, and implementation on these campuses during the pandemic, led to inadequate input on how to capture students’ attention. While relationships were built with student leaders throughout early study phases, challenges emerged as leadership changed each year and transitions of relationships were not always achieved, particularly when students were overwhelmed by pandemic-related pressures. Similarly, faculty and staff who had been engaged with the project were unable to maintain their effort in light of COVID-19 disruptions to campus life. 

While this implementation was affected by COVID-19 disruptions, we believe some lessons may be more broadly applicable. Digital communication channels were often saturated and ineffective, and we need to figure out ways to incentivize campus partners for their efforts in information dissemination. Spreading digital mental health interventions for college students likely demands further investment of campus resources to meet the needs of students in the changing landscape of college mental health.