Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: BACKGROUND: Mental health is increasingly prioritized in Saudi Arabia, with growing interest in digital solutions. OBJECTIVES: The study's objective was to assess awareness, acceptance, and use of mobile mental health applications among Saudis. METHODS: A cross-sectional online survey, based on the UTAUT model, explored performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and privacy concerns among 1613 participants. RESULTS: While 68.9% were aware of at least one mental health app, only 20% actively used them. Awareness was influenced by gender, age, employment, marital status, and region, whereas utilization depended on gender, age, education, region, and acceptance. Performance expectancy strongly predicted usage. CONCLUSIONS: Despite high awareness, usage of mobile mental health applications remains low in Saudi Arabia. Demographic factors affect awareness, and acceptance drives utilization. App developers should consider these factors to enhance engagement and effectiveness.
Source: Healthcare
Institution: Imam Abdulrahman Bin Faisal University
Language: English
Subfield: Applied Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W4415490341