Development, Acceptability and Engagement with the Mind Tutor: Lessons Learned from Testing a Novel Digital...

Area of Science:

• Digital Health
• Student Mental Health
• Psychology

Background:

• University student wellbeing is declining, increasing the need for accessible support services.
• Digital tools offer a scalable solution, but their effectiveness depends on user engagement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the development of the Mind Tutor, a novel chatbot-enhanced app for student wellbeing.
• To evaluate the acceptability and identify lessons learned from the app's development and testing.

Main Methods:

• Co-production with students and university stakeholders informed app content and features.
• The app incorporated behavior change techniques (BCTs) such as information provision, goal setting, and mindfulness.
• Acceptability was assessed, and engagement metrics were collected.

Main Results:

• Content focused on anxiety, mood, academic work, transitions, balance, and relationships was deemed most relevant.
• Mind Tutor content related to transitions was most acceptable to students.
• Overall app engagement was low, with an average of two interactions per student.

Conclusions:

• While universities and students are open to app-based wellbeing support, low engagement poses a significant challenge to efficacy.
• Future research should explore randomized controlled trials, integration with existing services and learning platforms, and co-production.
• Digital wellbeing tools should complement, not replace, essential face-to-face support.