Education and Depression Screening for Adolescents Based on Smartphone Applications: A Scoping Review
Abstract
Depression is the leading cause of disability among adolescents. Many adolescents experience long-term mental health issues because they do not know what to do, leading many to engage in negative behaviors such as substance abuse, violence, criminal activities, dropping out of school, and more. This is due to the lack of information they receive regarding mental health issues. Method: A scoping review was conducted by searching literature in PubMed, ProQuest, Scopus, and Science Direct. Included studies (2020–2025) explored education and depression screening for adolescents based on smartphone applications. Excluded were incomplete, duplicate, review, and retracted articles. Results: Of the 2,128 identified articles, seven studies met the criteria for further analysis. Findings indicate that education methods based on digital applications can be utilized as tools for early screening, monitoring, and real-time evaluation of depressive symptoms to support the mental well-being of adolescents. By integrating technology and evidence-based practices, these applications provide psychoeducational tools and self-monitoring mechanisms to help adolescents effectively manage their mental health. Conclusions: Education and smartphone-based depression screening can enhance sustainable support for adolescents. The importance of using smartphone applications in education and depression screening for adolescents indicates that technology-based applications can be effective tools for supporting the mental well-being of young people by providing easier access and reducing stigma associated with mental health services.
References
Andermo, S., Hallgren, M., Nguyen, T., Jonsson, S., & Petersen, S. (2020). School-related physical activity interventions and mental health among children : a systematic review and meta- analysis.
Avenevoli, S., Swendsen, J., He, J. P., Burstein, M., & Merikangas, K. R. (2015). Major Depression in the National Comorbidity Survey–Adolescent Supplement: Prevalence, Correlates, and Treatment. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 54(1). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaac.2014.10.010
Cao, J., Truong, A. L., Banu, S., Shah, A. A., & Sabharwal, A. (2020). Tracking and Predicting Depressive Symptoms of Adolescents Using Smartphone-Based Self-Reports , Parental Evaluations , and Passive Phone Sensor Data : Development and Usability Study Corresponding Author : JMIR MENTAL HEALTH, 7(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.2196/14045
Cao, J., Truong, A. L., Banu, S., Shah, A. A., Sabharwal, A., & Moukaddam, N. (2020). Tracking and predicting depressive symptoms of adolescents using smartphone-based self-reports, parental evaluations, and passive phone sensor data: Development and usability study. JMIR Mental Health, 7(1), 1–12. https://doi.org/10.2196/14045
Chamorro-Delmo, J., Lopez-Fernandez, O., Villasante-Soriano, P., Antonio, P. P. De, Álvarez-García, R., Porras-Segovia, A., & Baca-García, E. (2024). A feasibility study of a Smart screening tool for people at risk of mental health issues: Response rate, and sociodemographic and clinical factors. Journal of Affective Disorders, 362(July), 755–761. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2024.07.067
Chiauzzi, E., Robinson, A., Martin, K., Petersen, C., Wells, N., Gleason, M. M., & Robinson, A. (2023). A Relational Agent Intervention for Adolescents Seeking Mental Health Treatment : Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial Corresponding Author : JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS, 12, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.2196/44940
Giovanelli, A., Karver, T. S., Roundfield, K. D., & Woodruff, S. (2023). The Appa Health App for Youth Mental Health : Development and Usability Study Corresponding Author : JMIR FORMATIVE RESEARCH, 7, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.2196/49998
Huang, C. C., Chen, Y., & Cheung, S. (2021). Early childhood exposure to intimate partner violence and teen depression symptoms in the U.S. Health and Social Care in the Community, 29(5). https://doi.org/10.1111/hsc.13240
Hutahaean, H., & Silaban, B. B. H. (2020). MODEL PEMBINAAN REMAJA DI ERA PANDEMIK DENGAN PA BGA. Jurnal PKM Setiadharma, 1(3). https://doi.org/10.47457/jps.v1i3.106
Jonsson, G., Furin, J., Jeenah, F., Moosa, M. Y., Sivepersad, R., Kalafatis, F., & Schoeman, J. (2011). Human rights, mental illness and hiv: The luthando neuropsychiatric hiv clinic in Soweto, South Africa. Health and Human Rights, 13(2).
Kroning, M., & Kroning, K. (2016). Teen Depression and Suicide, A SILENT CRISIS. Journal of Christian Nursing : A Quarterly Publication of Nurses Christian Fellowship, 33(2). https://doi.org/10.1097/CNJ.0000000000000254
Li, S. H., Achilles, M. R., Kerry, M. S., Seidler, A. W., Newby, J. M., Batterham, P. J., & Christensen, H. (2022). Protocol for a randomised controlled trial evaluating the effectiveness of a CBT based smartphone application for improving mental health outcomes in adolescents : the MobiliseMe study. BMC Psychiatric, 22(746), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-022-04383-3
Nagamitsu, S., Kanie, A., Sakashita, K., Sakuta, R., & Okada, A. (2022). Adolescent Health Promotion Interventions Using Well-Care Visits and a Smartphone Cognitive Behavioral Therapy App : Corresponding Author : JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH, 10, 1–16. https://doi.org/10.2196/34154
Nemeroff, C. B., Schatzberg, A. F., Rasgon, N. L., & Strakowski, S. M. (2022). The American Psychiatric Association Publishing textbook of mood disorders. American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Ng, M. Y., Frederick, J. A., Fisher, A. J., Allen, N. B., Pettit, J. W., & Mcmakin, D. L. (2024). Identifying Person-Specific Drivers of Depression in Adolescents : Protocol for a Smartphone-Based Ecological Momentary Assessment and Passive Sensing Study Corresponding Author : JMIR RESEARCH PROTOCOLS, 13. https://doi.org/10.2196/43931
Prochaska, J. J., Wang, Y., Bowdring, M. A., Chieng, A., Chaudhary, N. P., & Ramo, D. E. (2023). Acceptability and Utility of a Smartphone App to Support Adolescent Mental Health ( BeMe ): Program Evaluation Study Corresponding Author : JMIR MHEALTH AND UHEALTH, 11. https://doi.org/10.2196/47183
Sulistyorini, W., & Sabarisman, M. (2017). Depresi : Suatu Tinjauan Psikologis dan Sintom-sintom. Sosio Informa, 3(2).
Copyright (c) 2025 Indonesian Journal of Global Health Research
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
