MOBILE THERAPY FOR DEPRESSION AND ANXIETY AMONG UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: THE ANTI-DA APP

Abstract

Depression and anxiety are critical mental health challenges among university students, often stemming from academic stress, social transitions, and personal uncertainties. Traditional counselling services, while beneficial, remain underutilized due to stigma, financial cost, and limited accessibility. This creates an urgent need for innovative and student-centered interventions that can provide immediate, engaging, and stigma-free support. Mobile health applications have shown promise in this regard, yet many lack features that sustain user motivation and active participation. Addressing this gap, the present study introduces and evaluates ANTI-DA, a gamified mobile therapy app specifically designed to help university students manage depression and anxiety. A quantitative pre–post research design was employed with thirty student participants, who completed standardized assessments of depression, anxiety, usability, and intrinsic motivation before and after using the app. Findings demonstrated significant reductions in depression and anxiety levels, alongside high usability ratings, immersive gameplay experiences, and strong intrinsic motivation. The study contributes to students, higher education stakeholders, and the broader community by offering both a practical intervention for future digital mental health solutions. Importantly, aligns with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 3 (Good Health and Well-being), advancing efforts to promote accessible mental health support for university students.