Research Suggests New Ways To Enhance College Students' Mental Health

Leveraging technology in the right ways is one of the keys to strengthening students' mental health.

By Mark Travers, Ph.D. | June 16, 2023

A new study published in Frontiers in Psychology offers a multi-pronged approach to help students manage academic stress. It also advises institutions on how they can create personalized mental health solutions to meet the needs of their student body.

I recently spoke to the lead author of the new research, Maria-Pascale Lukenga of the University of Mons in Belgium, to discuss her findings in greater detail. Here is a summary of our conversation.

What specific digital technologies did you explore in your study for academic stress management, and how do they differ from traditional coping methods?

In our research into the use of appropriate technologies for academic stress management, we have found that digital mental health platforms are particularly appropriate for students. They can provide stress management resources for students such as mindfulness exercises, breathing exercises, guidance on managing academic expectations, and links to mental support services.

In addition, these platforms facilitate the creation of communities where students can share experiences related to their academic or personal journey and support each other, which helps to reduce academic stress.

Digital mental health platforms offer a practical and accessible option for managing mental health and improving the well-being of students, particularly when current "traditional" mental health services are inaccessible or insufficient.

Students often do not use the "traditional" health services (e.g., discussion groups, psychological consultations) available to them within universities due to the stigma associated with mental difficulties, or the inaccessibility of these services with regard to their cost or waiting time, or lack of awareness of the existence of the service.

A platform based on digital mental health technologies can give students back a sense of control by promoting self-management, helping them use coping strategies to deal with their academic situation, and reducing limitations on the healthcare system by offering scalable and affordable academic stress management resources and interventions in one place.

How did the participants perceive the potential benefits of digital technologies for managing academic stress?

Participants had mixed views on the benefits of using a digital technology device to cope with academic stress. On the one hand, they emphasized the importance of adopting a targeted approach that specifically addresses the difficulties encountered during their academic path. This approach is crucial because this phase of their lives can have a negative impact on their well-being.

As a result, participants see the use of digital technology solutions as an effective strategy for preventing the accumulation of stress. They also feel that using these solutions can help to reduce the physical and/or psychological manifestations of academic difficulties, such as concentration problems, appetite and sleep disorders, emotional distress, and social isolation.

On the other hand, participants also expressed apprehension about integrating this tool into their daily lives. They feared being constantly alerted to their state of stress, which could give more importance to harmless stressful events and create more stress for them. This emphasizes the importance of adopting a balanced approach in the development and implementation of technology for managing academic stress.

It is essential to avoid overwhelming students with excessive information or promoting a state of hypervigilance towards stress, as these factors can potentially worsen their situation.

Could you elaborate on the role of biofeedback in the proposed approach? How does it contribute to improving coping strategies and alleviating difficulties in managing academic stress?

Traditional tools used to assess students' perceived stress levels, such as surveys, are based on individuals' self-assessment. However, self-assessment can be subjective and biased because individuals may not accurately assess their own stress levels or may be influenced by social desirability biases. This can lead to ineffective stress-reduction interventions based on erroneous results. Furthermore, surveys have limitations in tracking stress levels, which are crucial in the stress management process.

In contrast, biofeedback devices used in stress management can provide an objective and accurate measure of students' stress levels by monitoring their physiological indicators. This awareness of their stress levels through biofeedback offers them the opportunity to adapt their stress management strategies more effectively. In addition, digital platforms can integrate these biofeedback devices, providing students with centralized access to academic information and stress management resources.

This centralized approach facilitates the access and use of technological stress management tools, enabling students to have an easier and more comprehensive stress management experience. By combining physical and psychological data from different sources, these technological devices can help students to reduce and manage the stress related to their academic life more effectively, by providing them with accurate and personalized information to better understand and cope with their own academic stress.

What would be your advice to students who want to leverage technology for managing their academic stress more effectively? And, how can they incorporate biofeedback in their daily routine?

First, remember that technology is only one tool in your stress management arsenal. It's important not to give up on other methods that work for you, such as stress management workshops, psychological counseling, physical exercise, or dialogue with family and friends, which are also important for reducing academic stress. These personal resources can be combined with stress management technology and offer you a holistic approach to managing your academic stress.

Second, be aware of the risks associated with information overload. With the multitude of applications, websites, and resources available, it's easy to find yourself drowning in a flood of conflicting information. To avoid this, I recommend that while waiting for a website specifically dedicated to academic difficulties, to identify a few reliable resources of stress management and focus on the resources that specifically address your needs. Likewise, if you wish to integrate biofeedback into your daily routine, choose a device adapted to your needs (e.g., a smartwatch or other biofeedback sensors).

Then, set a convenient time for your practice and create a relaxed environment, and with these few precautions you'll be able to manage your stress more effectively. This will enable you to concentrate fully on your biofeedback practice and reap all the benefits in terms of reducing academic stress.

Finally, it's important to remember that the results won't be immediate. Like any change, the benefits of using technology to manage your stress will require time and adaptation. Be patient and persistent in your approach. Also, give yourself the time and the opportunity to experiment with different tools and/or techniques to adjust your use of technological tools according to what works best for you. As every student is different, what works for someone else may not work for you.

Based on the findings, what recommendations or suggestions can be made for educational institutions or policymakers to support the implementation of digital technologies for managing academic stress among students?

To support the implementation of digital technologies in the management of academic stress among students, several recommendations can be made:

1. It is crucial to develop an online platform that provides centralized information on students' academic paths and how to maintain good mental health throughout their years of study. This personalized approach aims to reduce students' feelings of stress.
2. In addition, it is important to adapt these platforms to students' specific academic profiles, such as different faculties or course curricula. Traditional stress management programs offered by universities often fail to take individual backgrounds and experiences into account, making them ineffective for several students.
3. Considering the complex nature of students' mental health issues it's essential to ensure their engagement with these technological tools. To achieve this, it's preferable to co-design the content and functionality of the platform in collaboration with the students themselves. This approach helps to better understand their specific needs and increase adherence to stress management programs. Co-design also enables content to be regularly evaluated and adapted to ensure that it effectively contributes to students' mental well-being and stress reduction.
4. Finally, digital mental health platforms can offer the opportunity to accurately measure and manage academic stress. By taking physiological and psychological aspects into account, and providing students with personalized resources for stress management, institutions and individuals can help students better manage their academic stress.