The Effectiveness of Digital-Based Psychotherapy in Overcoming Psychological Problems in College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Purpose: This review aims to determine the effectiveness of the application of digital-based psychotherapy in overcoming the psychological problems of college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Several databases consisting of EBSCO-Host CINAHL, PubMed, Scopus, Sage Journal, and Taylor and Francis were used in the search process and resulted in experimental studies focusing on the effectiveness of the application of digital-based psychotherapy during the COVID-19 pandemic timeline (2019–2022). Descriptive and exploratory analyses were performed based on the data set from the study. Results: A total of 12 articles were included in the review. The digital psychotherapy interventions found are diverse including websites, smartphone applications, and video conferencing with the types of therapies provided in the form of, Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Mindfulness Therapy. Each intervention has a diverse duration and frequency adjusting to the type of therapy given. Digital psychotherapeutic interventions are effective in reducing mental health problems among college students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: The use of digital psychotherapy can be used as a prevention and support service for students who experience psychological problems during the COVID-19 pandemic. The combination of the use of digital media with video conferencing can be considered to increase the effectiveness of this service. Nurses need to understand how the procedure for implementing digital-based psychotherapy is to improve the quality of mental care services as an effort to prevent and support students. More research is needed to find out the effectiveness of the use of digital psychotherapy services and how they impact the psychological well-being of students holistically.

Keywords

college student digital psychotherapy online psychotherapy COVID-19

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

American Psychological Association. (2009). Different approaches to psychotherapy. https://www.apa.org/topics/psychotherapy/approaches.

Andrews

Basu

Cuijpers

Craske

M. G.

McEvoy

English

C. L.

Newby

J. M.

(2018). Computer therapy for the anxiety and depression disorders is effective, acceptable and practical health care: An updated meta-analysis. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 55, 70–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.01.001

Bradbury-Jones

Aveyard

Herber

O. R.

Isham

Taylor

O’Malley

(2021). Scoping reviews: The PAGER framework for improving the quality of reporting. International Journal of Social Research Methodology, 00(00), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/13645579.2021.1899596

Brog

N. A.

Hegy

J. K.

Berger

Znoj

(2022). Effects of an internet-based self-help intervention for psychological distress due to COVID-19: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Internet Interventions, 27, 100492. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2021.100492

Bruhns

Lüdtke

Moritz

Bücker

(2021). A mobile-based intervention to increase self-esteem in students with depressive symptoms: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR MHealth and UHealth, 9(7), e26498. https://doi.org/10.2196/26498

Celia

Cavicchiolo

Girelli

Limone

Cozzolino

(2021). Effect of online counselling on emotional outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: An innovative group intervention for university students using the brain wave modulation technique. Counselling and Psychotherapy Research, 22(4)889–901. https://doi.org/10.1002/capr.12512

Cellia

Cozzolino

Cavicchiolo

Girelli

Limone

(2021). Effect of online counselling on emotional outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic: An innovative group intervention for university students using the brain wave modulation technique. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 19(1), 157–171. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00742-7

De Fabritiis

Trisolini

Bertuletti

Fagadau

I. D.

Ginelli

Lalopa

K. P.

Peverelli

Pirola

Sala

Maisto

Madeddu

Lopez-Castroman

Romano

Gabbiadini

Preti

Micucci

Calati

(2022). An internet-based multi-approach intervention targeting university students suffering from psychological problems: Design, implementation, and evaluation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(5), 2711. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19052711

Donkin

Hickie

I. B.

Christensen

Naismith

S. L.

Neal

Cockayne

N. L.

Glozier

(2013). Rethinking the dose-response relationship between usage and outcome in an online intervention for depression: Randomized controlled trial. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 15(10), e231. https://doi.org/10.2196/jmir.2771

10.

Dumarkaite

Truskauskaite-Kuneviciene

Andersson

Mingaudaite

Kazlauskas

(2021). Effects of mindfulness-based internet intervention on ICD-11 posttraumatic stress disorder and complex posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms: A pilot randomized controlled trial. Mindfulness, 12(11), 2754–2766. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12671-021-01739-w

11.

Eisenberg

Gollust

S. E.

Golberstein

Hefner

J. L.

(2007). Prevalence and correlates of depression, anxiety, and suicidality among university students. The American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, 77(4), 534–542. https://doi.org/10.1037/0002-9432.77.4.534

12.

Gore Jr

P. A.

Leuwerke

W. C.

(2008). Technological advances: Implications for counseling psychology research, training, and practice. Handbook of Counseling Psychology, 38–53.

13.

Harrer

Apolinário-Hagen

Fritsche

Salewski

Zarski

A. C.

Lehr

Baumeister

Cuijpers

Ebert

D. D.

(2021). Effect of an internet- and app-based stress intervention compared to online psychoeducation in university students with depressive symptoms: Results of a randomized controlled trial. Internet Interventions, 24(January), 100374. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.invent.2021.100374

14.

Johnson

G. R.

(2014). Toward uniform competency standards in telepsychology: A proposed framework for Canadian psychologists. Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 55(4), 291–302. https://doi.org/10.1037/a0038002

15.

Klainin-Yobas

Keawkerd

Pumpuang

Thunyadee

Thanoi

H.-G.

(2014). The mediating effects of coping on the stress and health relationships among nursing students: A structural equation modelling approach. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 70(6), 1287–1298. https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.12283

16.

Krifa

Hallez

van Zyl

L. E.

Braham

Sahli

Ben Nasr

Shankland

(2021). Effectiveness of an online positive psychology intervention among Tunisian healthcare students on mental health and study engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 14(4), 1228–1254. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12332

17.

Krifa

van Zyl

L. E.

Braham

Nasr

S. B.

Shankland

(2022). Mental health during COVID-19 pandemic: The role of optimism and emotional regulation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(3), 1413. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031413

18.

Lahtinen

Aaltonen

Kaakinen

Franklin

Hyönä

(2021). The effects of app-based mindfulness practice on the well-being of university students and staff. Current Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-01762-z

19.

Lerardi

Bottini

Riva Crugnola

(2022). Effectiveness of an online versus face-to-face psychodynamic counselling intervention for university students before and during the COVID-19 period. BMC Psychology, 10(1), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-022-00742-7

20.

Lippke

Gao

Keller

F. M.

Becker

Dahmen

(2021). Adherence with online therapy vs face-to-face therapy and with online therapy vs care as usual: Secondary analysis of two randomized controlled trials. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(11), e31274. https://doi.org/10.2196/31274

21.

Zhao

Chen

Wang

Zhang

Chen

Jiang

Fan

Liu

(2020). Mental health problems and correlates among 746217 college students during the coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak in China. Epidemiology and Psychiatric Sciences, 29, 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1017/S2045796020000931

22.

Mendagri. (2021). Instruksi Menteri Dalam Negeri Nomor 14 Tahun 2021. 3(March), 6.

23.

Mikolajczyk

R. T.

El Ansari

Maxwell

A. E.

(2009). Food consumption frequency and perceived stress and depressive symptoms among students in three European countries. Nutrition Journal, 8(1), 31. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2891-8-31

24.

Peterson

Pearce

P. F.

Ferguson

L. A.

Langford

C. A.

(2017). Understanding scoping reviews: Definition, purpose, and process. Journal of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners, 29(1), 12–16. https://doi.org/10.1002/2327-6924.12380

25.

Rackoff

G. N.

Fitzsimmons-Craft

E. E.

Taylor

C. B.

Eisenberg

Wilfley

D. E.

Newman

M. G.

(2022). A randomized controlled trial of internet-based self-help for stress during the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Adolescent Health, 71(2), 157–163. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jadohealth.2022.01.227

26.

Rackoff

G. N.

Fitzsimmons-craft

E. E.

Taylor

C. B.

Eisenberg

Wil

D. E.

Newman

M. G.

(2020). Since January 2020 Elsevier has created a COVID-19 resource centre with free information in English and Mandarin on the novel coronavirus COVID-19. The COVID-19 resource centre is hosted on Elsevier Connect, the company’s public news and information. January .

27.

Raevuori

Vahlberg

Korhonen

Hilgert

Aittakumpu-Hyden

Forman-Hoffman

(2021). A therapist-guided smartphone app for major depression in young adults: A randomized clinical trial. Journal of Affective Disorders, 286, 228–238. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2021.02.007

28.

Rahmawati

(2021). Dampak psikologis pembelajaran jarak jauh bagi kesehatan mental mahasiswa. Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 6(11), 951–952. 5–24.

29.

Rehman

A. U.

Bhuttah

T. M.

You

(2020). Linking burnout to psychological well-being: The mediating role of social support and learning motivation. Psychology Research and Behavior Management, 13, 545–554. https://doi.org/10.2147/PRBM.S250961

30.

Ritvo

Ahmad

Morr

C. E.

Pirbaglou

Moineddin

(2021). A mindfulness-based intervention for student depression, anxiety, and stress: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR Mental Health, 8(1), 1–17. https://doi.org/10.2196/23491

31.

Salimi

Gere

Talley

Irioogbe

(2021). College students mental health challenges: Concerns and considerations in the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of College Student Psychotherapy 37(1), 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1080/87568225.2021.1890298

32.

Savarese

Curcio

Elia

D. D.

Fasano

Pecoraro

(2020). Online university counselling services and psychological problems among Italian students in lockdown due to COVID-19. Healthcare, 1–16.

33.

Stoll

Müller

J. A.

Trachsel

(2020). Ethical issues in online psychotherapy: A narrative review. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 10 https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00993

34.

Sun

Lin

Goldberg

Shen

Chen

Qiao

Brewer

Loucks

Operario

(2021). A mindfulness-based mobile health (mHealth) intervention among psychologically distressed university students in quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 69(2), 157–171. https://doi.org/10.1037/cou0000568

35.

The Family Institute Northwestern University. (2015). Five Counseling Theories and Approaches | Counseling@Northwestern. https://counseling.northwestern.edu/blog/five-counseling-theories-and-approaches/.

36.

The Healthy Minds Network, & American College Health Association. (2020). The impact of COVID-19 on college student well-being. 1–11. https://www.acha.org/documents/ncha/Healthy_Minds_NCHA_COVID_Survey_Report_FINAL.pdf.

37.

Torales

O’Higgins

Castaldelli-Maia

J. M.

Ventriglio

(2020). The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. The International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 66(4), 317–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020915212

38.

Tricco

A. C.

Lillie

Zarin

O’Brien

K. K.

Colquhoun

Levac

Moher

Peters

M. D. J.

Horsley

Weeks

Hempel

Akl

E. A.

Chang

McGowan

Stewart

Hartling

Aldcroft

Wilson

M. G.

Garritty

Straus

S. E.

(2018). PRISMA extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR): Checklist and explanation. Annals of Internal Medicine, 169(7), 467–473. https://doi.org/10.7326/M18-0850

39.

Weightman

(2020). Digital psychotherapy as an effective and timely treatment option for depression and anxiety disorders: Implications for rural and remote practice. Journal of International Medical Research, 48(6), 0300060520928686. https://doi.org/10.1177/0300060520928686

40.

Young

D. K. W.

Carlbring

P. Y. N.

Chen

Q.-R. J.

(2022). Feasibility of self-guided online cognitive behavioral therapy for university students during COVID-19. Research on Social Work Practice, 32(8), 898–911. https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315221087904