Introduction

Mental health concerns among young people are rising globally, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) such as Colombia, where access to specialized care remains scarce (Bartels et al., 2021; Kohn et al., 2018; World Health Organization, 2021). In response to this challenge, we conducted a feasibility study in Bogotá to evaluate two digital tools aimed at supporting young people's mental health: Youth Collective Minds (YMC), a web-based platform, and Mental Beat (MB), a mobile application. This study sought to evaluate the feasibility of using these two digital MH tools in individuals aged 18 to 25. Using a mixed-methods approach, we explored how these digital interventions functioned in a real-world setting, focusing on four key areas of feasibility (Bowen et al., 2009): acceptability, demand, implementation, and practicality.

Methodology

Through convenience and snowball sampling, the study enrolled 35 participants (mostly female, educated, and belonging to the middle socioeconomic strata). Participants were invited to use both YMC and MB for three weeks, and then complete surveys and an interview. YMC, developed by the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, provides users with psychoeducational content, emotional self-monitoring surveys, telecounseling options, and personalized well-being plans, among others. MB, adapted from the Avicenna® research platform, is mainly a research app that features mood and behavior surveys while passively collecting information from smartphone sensors, such as screen time, GPS location, and battery use. Participants completed surveys, engaged with platform features, and allowed passive data collection when they granted the necessary permissions.

Acceptability

Both digital tools were generally well received. Participants found YMC visually appealing, easy to use, and appreciated its focus on mental health education and self-awareness. Quantitative measures such as percentage of participants who said they would use it again, scores on the System Usability Scale (SUS), and Net Promoter Scores (NPS) were also favorable. However, some technical issues discouraged continued use for certain users. Regarding MB, participants appreciated its ease of use and minimal technical problems. Quantitative measures were also positive. While the app functioned reliably and sent reminders that users found helpful, participants suggested that integrating psychoeducational feedback—similar to YMC—would make MB more engaging.

Demand

Demand for the tools was evaluated through the frequency of use of their features, with good results for self-monitoring in both apps. Notably, participants engaged with MB’s passive data collection components. Most participants reported feeling comfortable sharing data and expressed trust in the research team, indicating that privacy concerns were minimal.

Implementation

Implementation feasibility varied across platforms. YMC faced several technical issues that disrupted its use, including server downtime and difficulties visualizing data. These problems were frustrating for participants and likely contributed to the small number of dropouts. In contrast, MB performed consistently well. Nevertheless, both tools suffered from rigid survey schedules.

Practicality

Practicality was explored through participants’ experiences and perceived benefits. Many users reported that both tools helped increase their awareness of habits, emotional states, and routines. YMC, in particular, was praised for providing informative and relatable psychoeducational materials. However, participants highlighted the need for more engaging features in MB and raised concerns that the repetitive nature of daily surveys could lead to boredom over time.

Discussion

The study pinpointed to the feasibility of using digital tools for mental health support among young people in Bogotá. Both YMC and MB showed potential to promote self-awareness, encourage healthier habits, and offer accessible mental health support. Despite its promising findings, the study has several limitations including the small sample size and short study duration that limit the generalizability of results. Participants were recruited from a group already inclined to participate in research, introducing a possible selection bias. Furthermore, the tools were only tested in Bogotá, an urban area with relatively good digital infrastructure. Future studies should explore the feasibility of these tools in rural or underserved regions and examine long-term user engagement and outcomes. If further validated, these tools could be scaled to help close the mental health care gap in Colombia and other LMICs.

For further details, you can read the preprint here: https://preprints.jmir.org/preprint/69749

References

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Bowen, D. J., Kreuter, M., Spring, B., Cofta-Woerpel, L., Linnan, L., Weiner, D.,…Fabrizio, C. (2009). How we design feasibility studies. American journal of preventive medicine, 36(5), 452-457.

Kohn, R., Ali, A. A., Puac-Polanco, V., Figueroa, C., López-Soto, V., Morgan, K.,…Vicente, B. (2018). Mental health in the Americas: an overview of the treatment gap. Rev Panam Salud Publica, 42, e165. https://doi.org/10.26633/rpsp.2018.165

World Health Organization (2021). Mental Health Atlas 2020 (978-92-4-003670-3). (WHO Publication). https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240036703