Bridging the Mental Health Care Gap for International Students via Digital Interventions

Objectives: Mental health issues among international students are concerning. However, international students tend to underutilize and benefit less from traditional mental health services compared to their domestic counterparts. The current paper proposes digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) as a promising approach to bridge mental health inequities faced by international students. Methods: We explore the definition, types, and efficacy of DMHIs. We outline the unique promise of these interventions in reducing barriers to health service access encountered by international students. To illustrate these points, we discuss example studies of DMHIs for international students. Results: Recent studies have supported the potential benefits of DMHIs for improving international students’ psychological distress, well-being, and help-seeking outcomes. However, many scientific questions remain unsolved. Discussion: To optimize the potential of these interventions for international students, researchers should conduct well-powered randomized controlled trials, examine correlates of intervention use, design single-session interventions, co-develop interventions with the international student community, integrate interventions within the larger system, incorporate ecological momentary assessment and digital phenotyping, and leverage immersive and interactive digital technology.