Innovation in digital interventions for the mental health of university students in Latin America: Challenges, advances, and perspectives from recent evidence

Innovación en intervenciones digitales para la salud mental de estudiantes universitarios en América Latina: desafíos, avances y perspectivas desde la evidencia reciente

Abstract

Digital interventions based on cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) have become essential tools to reduce the mental health treatment gap among university students, particularly in low- and middle-income countries in Latin America. This reflective article critically examines recent advancements in clinical trials, cultural adaptation studies, precision treatment models, and analytic methods for compliance, integrating evidence from Colombia and Mexico. Ethical, methodological, and cultural challenges affecting implementation are analyzed, along with the roles of adherence, stigma, individual variability, and personalized treatment models. Implications for public policy, clinical practice, and the development of more accessible, sustainable, and culturally grounded university mental health systems are discussed.