Promoting mental health help-seeking through interactive mobile-based narratives: Effectiveness of a depression prevention program among college students.

ABSTRACT:

Objectives

College students are facing a growing prevalence of mental health challenges, while they frequently face obstacles in seeking professional help. Drawing upon the agency model in the theory of interactive media effects (TIME) and the transportation-imagery model, this study presents an extended framework to investigate how interface features enhance the persuasive potential of health narratives, thereby improving intentions to seek professional help for depression among Chinese college students.

Method

The present study employs a 2 (customization: with versus without) × 2 (interactivity: high versus low) factorial experiment (N = 373). To validate the experimental stimuli, a mini-program was developed on WeChat, allowing participants to fully navigate the he

SUBMITTER: Li Y 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12816514 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan-Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature