Digital Dance Based Mental Health Intervention for Intermediate College Students

Background Digital dance interventions (e.g., video platforms, mobile apps, and virtual reality) combine physical activity and digital accessibility and have been proposed as scalable strategies to support mental health in adult learners. However, evidence specifically targeting middle-aged college students (35–55 years) remains fragmented. Objective We conducted a systematic review to synthesize and evaluate the effectiveness, delivery characteristics, and acceptability of digital dance–based interventions for improving mental health outcomes in middle-aged college students. Methods Following PRISMA 2020 guidelines, we searched Scopus, PubMed, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink for peer-reviewed studies published between 2020 and 2025. Two reviewers independently screened records, extracted data, and assessed study quality. When suitable, effects were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis and effect sizes were reported as Cohen’s d with 95% confidence intervals. Results From 186 records identified, 18 studies met inclusion criteria and 12 contributed data to meta-analysis. Digital dance interventions were associated with moderate reductions in depressive symptoms (Cohen’s d = 0.45–0.82) and anxiety (d = 0.38–0.75). Virtual reality and mobile applications showed the highest user acceptability (≈ 85–95%). Typical effective protocols ranged 8–12 weeks with 2–3 sessions/week (30–60 minutes/session). Heterogeneity across studies was moderate to high; digital literacy and technology acceptance moderated outcomes. Conclusions Current evidence suggests that digital dance interventions can improve mental health in middle-aged college students, particularly when delivered via immersive or well-designed mobile platforms. Further high-quality, standardized RCTs with longer follow-up and clearer reporting of intervention components are needed to confirm durability and generalizability.