The college study is not currently enrolling participants, but check back soon!

Purpose

A surge in the rate of mental health problems on college campuses has overwhelmed counseling centers and left many students without access to the resources they need. ​

Method

We are investigating the implementation of digital tools to improve the current state of care on college campuses and understand how a mobile app may be adapted to support students' mental health. ​

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Collection

We intend to recruit 1000 college students from across the country to participate in this study. Each participant will use the mindLAMP app on their smartphone to collect passive data (GPS, accelerometer, screen time) and active data (daily mood surveys).

Interpretation

Student data collected through the apps is analyzed to look for associations between behavior and mental health (i.e. how did sleeping behavior impact daily depression scores?)

Implementation

The LAMP app will be adjusted to better serve the college student population. This will include adaptive interventions targeted to students when their mood or behavior changes. This revised LAMP app will then be tested with a group of students.

Relevant Reading

Melcher, J., Torous, J.: Smartphone Apps for College Mental Health: A Concern for Privacy and Quality of Current Offerings. Psychiatric Services 2020.
Melcher, J., Hays, R., Torous, J.: Digital Phenotyping for Mental Health of College Students: A Clinical Review. Evidence-Based Mental Health 2020.​
Lattie, E. G., Lipson, S. K., & Eisenberg, D.: Technology and College Student Mental Health: Challenges and Opportunities. Front Psychiatry 2019; 10.​

Questions?

Please contact Jenny
jmelcher@bidmc.harvard.edu
617-667-0029