Retention and Engagement in Culturally Adapted Digital Mental Health Interventions: Systematic Review of Dropout, Attrition, and Adherence in Non-Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic Settings

Abstract

Background: Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) offer scalable and cost-effective support for mental health but are predominantly developed in WEIRD (western, educated, industrialized, rich, democratic) contexts, raising questions about their global applicability. Dropout, attrition, and adherence rates critically influence DMHI effectiveness yet remain poorly characterized in culturally adapted formats. Objective: This systematic review aimed to (1) synthesize evidence on dropout, attrition, and adherence in culturally adapted DMHIs delivered to non-WEIRD adult populations and (2) assess the methodological quality of the included studies. Methods: PsycINFO, PubMed, and ScienceDirect were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials published in English between January 2014 and April 2024. Screening and data extraction followed PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, and methodological quality was evaluated using the Appraisal Tool for Cross-Sectional Studies tool. Extracted variables included dropout, attrition, adherence, adaptation techniques, and clinical outcomes. Results: Twenty-three randomized controlled trials (n=4656) from diverse regions met inclusion criteria. Attrition ranged from 5.3% to 87% (median 18.4%), dropout from 0% to 66% (median 18.7%), and adherence from 26.3% to 100% (median 71%). Deep, participatory adaptations—such as language translation combined with culturally resonant content, stakeholder engagement, and iterative refinement—were consistently associated with lower dropout (<11%) and higher adherence (>75%). In contrast, surface-level adaptations (eg, translation only) showed higher dropout (up to 56%). Studies that incorporated both cultural tailoring and human support reported the most favorable engagement and clinical outcomes (eg, reductions in insomnia, depression, and anxiety). Most studies (91%) were rated as “Good” quality, although some lacked representative sampling or objective engagement metrics. Conclusions: Comprehensive and participatory cultural adaptation is associated with engagement and effectiveness of DMHIs among non-WEIRD populations. Future research should integrate hybrid human-digital delivery models, objective engagement metrics, and larger multicenter trials to improve generalizability and scalability.