Internet-Based Interventions for Prevention and Early Treatment of Depression in Higher Education Students

Abstract

Most students in higher education are in the so-called 'emerging adulthood' period, which is a critical phase that coincides with the age of onset of most mental disorders. Mental health problems in higher education students have been associated with negative impacts on youth development, poorer academic performance, and higher dropout rates, as well as a negative impact on subsequent functioning in the labor market. Although higher education institutions have developed specific strategies to address the mental health of their students, there is still a significant gap in prevention and early treatment. Moreover, given the high prevalence of mental health problems in higher education students, these institutions are unlikely to have sufficient resources to meet the needs for mental health services. Internet-based interventions may be particularly beneficial in overcoming logistical and financial barriers to health services and hold promise for low-cost interventions with positive outcomes. These interventions allow flexible use of available resources, without time and location constraints, enabling rapid scale-up of prevention and treatment programs, in contrast to face-to-face care. In addition, their relative anonymity and privacy reduce the stigma of receiving treatment for depression. Although the accumulating evidence on the use of these technologies to prevent or treat depression in higher education students shows promising results, significant challenges remain. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved)