UniThrive App: Creation and Validation of a Mobile App to Enhance Mental Health and Psychological Resilience in International Students at Masaryk University

Supervisor: assoc. prof. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D.

Consultant: assoc. prof. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D.

Annotation

University students are experiencing increased levels of mental health issues, adversely affecting their academic performance, physical health, and overall quality of life. These challenges are even more pronounced for international students who, in addition to academic demands, must adapt to new cultural environments, overcome language barriers, and cope without the social support of family and friends.

University support services are often limited by staff availability and financial constraints, and social stigma frequently prevents students from accessing these resources. Mobile health (mHealth) apps offer a discreet and accessible form of alternative mental health support. While they are recognized as promising solutions, there is limited research on their efficacy among international students.

This project aims to develop a mobile app and evaluate its effectiveness on positive indicators of mental health (psychological well-being, resilience), negative indicators (stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms), health-related behaviors, and academic productivity.

Full-time undergraduate international students at Masaryk University with smartphones and internet access will be recruited through in-class announcements, social media, and on-campus posters. Participants will be randomized into an experimental group, instructed to use the app five days a week for four weeks, or a wait-listed control group. All participants will complete pre- and post-intervention web-based surveys to self-assess stress, anxiety, depressive symptoms, well-being, resilience, health-related quality of life, and academic achievement.

In the long term, this mobile app could serve as an effective supplement to mental health support for international students at Masaryk University and beyond.

Financing

The student will be financed with a standard scholarship. The technical side of creating the application will be ensured within the modular e-health system created as part of the currently ongoing TACR Sigma project.

Workplace Guarantee:

We guarantee regular meetings with a supervisor and a consultant, systematic work management, and comprehensive material support for project implementation. As part of the student's scientific work, they will have the opportunity to gain valuable experience in developing intervention systems based on the latest knowledge in health psychology, positive psychology, and e-health. During doctoral studies, the student will not be required to participate in the administrative operations of the department. Participation in teaching at the department is considered voluntary.

Requirements for a student: https://is.muni.cz/plan/25858/psychiatry

Supervisor

Assoc. Prof. Alena Slezáčková, Ph.D. (psychologist, expert in health psychology and positive psychology). Publication activity: 35 publications in WOS; 130 citations without self-citations in WOS; h-index = 6.

Consultant:

Assoc. Prof. Miroslav Světlák, Ph.D. (psychologist and psychotherapist, expert in clinical psychology, e-health). 29 publications in WOS; 194 citations without self-citations; h-index = 7.