Barriers and facilitators of mental health app use among young women – a multimethod study

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Prevalences of psychological distress among young women are high and rising. Despite a vast number of potentially helpful mental health apps (MHA), dissemination is limited. The current study aims to inform user-centered development and implementation of mental health apps for young women by examining mental health problems in the target population, existing help-seeking patterns and their gaps, perceived barriers to both conventional and digital care, and preferred MHA characteristics. METHODS: 521 women between the ages of 18 and 35 participated in a cross-sectional online survey. Alongside descriptive data on psychological distress, help-seeking behaviour, and barriers to mental health app use, associations between indicators of psychological distress and MHA use were examined using binary logistic regression. Thematic analysis was used to reveal attributes of MHA that are considered professional and most helpful by this group. RESULTS: The most common psychological distress symptoms were fatigue (79%), worry (79%), and tension (74%). Frequently used support sources included self-help books (60%), primary care (51%), and psychotherapy (51%); 31% had ever used MHA. Barriers to MHA use were mainly a lack of knowledge (32.5%), concerns about effectiveness (9.8%), and financial costs (9.6%). General psychological distress (OR = 1.03 [1.01-1.06], p = .012), anxiety and appetite/weight problems (ORs between 1.95 and 1.99, ps ≤ .004) were most strongly associated with MHA use. Thematic analysis showed that young women view professional appearance and helpfulness in MHA as multifaceted, emphasizing usability, security, as well as personal and technical support as relevant aspects. CONCLUSIONS: Although psychological distress is common among young women, only a minority uses MHA. Use is associated with the type of symptoms, symptom burden, knowledge of and expectations toward these tools. Improving awareness and accessibility, ensuring app quality, credibility, and data security may represent key factors for strengthening uptake and sustained use in this population.

The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Women s Health, 2026 · DOI ↗