ICT Supported Intervention to Manage Stress Among Undergraduates

Abstract

Stress has become a part of university students’ lives. Many studies have shown that stress is a severe issue that affects students’ mental health, academic performance, and overall well-being. Stress can be beneficial to a certain extent, but high levels of stress result in adverse effects. Digital mental health intervention is a growing phenomenon that provides enormous possibilities for managing mental well-being. Thus, this study’s primary purpose was to gather design requirements for an Information and Communication Technology (ICT) supported intervention for undergraduate stress management. The study also investigates stress levels, stressors, coping strategies, and digital mental health intervention awareness. The target population is comprised of state and non-state university students in Sri Lanka. A survey distributed via social media platforms is used to gather data. The collected data was analysed using different statistical methods to attain the set objectives. According to the responses, the majority of respondents experienced moderate levels of stress. The GPA target, projects, assignments, and deadlines were found to be the everyday stressors. Respondents frequently used music, social media, and videos to cope with stress. The study identified a significant relationship between the degree of discipline and stress levels. It is worth noting that most respondents were not familiar with digital stress interventions for stress management. However, they were interested in using such interventions. Following the study’s findings, BeFREE mobile application was designed, incorporating six-core features and essential non-functional requirements.