The Effectiveness of Technology-Based Interventions for Mental Health and Well-Being: A Systematic Review

Abstract

While technology-based interventions can effectively promote mental health and well-being, their effectiveness remains unclear. Gaining more insight into the characteristics of various technology-based interventions aimed at improving mental health is crucial to understanding why some are effective while others are not. This study aims to review the literature on technology-based mental health interventions (TMHIs) to investigate 1) whether there is a relationship between TMHI design features/strategies and their effectiveness and 2) highlighting and summarizing emerging trends in the technological intervention design, research method, target mental health issues, persuasive strategies employed in TMHIs, and dropout rate of participants. We provide an empirical review of 18 years (from 2003 to 2020) of TMHI studies. The study found that most studies on TMHIs have reported successful outcomes, suggesting that when combined with the right persuasive strategy, they can promote mental and emotional health. The most common target populations are adults and young adults, with mobile applications being the most common. Despite only three studies using behavioral theories, they were found to be more effective. Finally, we identified the pitfalls and gaps in the literature that could inform the direction of future research in this area. In conclusion, TMHIs are promising tools for improving mental health. Numerous factors can influence their effectiveness.