Skip to main content
ABCT 2025 59th Annual Convention Main banner
Psychology Tools Ad
Final Program


Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
Recorded Session
Recorded Session
Ticketed Session
Ticketed Session
ViewAttendees 2

Symposia

Technology/Digital Health

Understanding and Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Latine Community College Students

4 - (SYM 8) Codesign and Pilot of a Text-messaging Intervention to Increase Uptake of Mental Health Services Among Latine Community College Students

Friday, November 21, 2025
4:09 PM - 4:30 PM CST
Location: Celestin D&E, Level 3
Keywords: College Students, Mental Health Disparities, Evidence-Based Practice
Recommended Readings: Lipson, S. K., Phillips, M. V., Winquist, N., Eisenberg, D., & Lattie, E. G. (2021). Mental health conditions among community college students: A national study of prevalence and use of treatment services. Psychiatric services, 72(10), 1126-1133. http://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ps.202000437,   Kodish, T., Schueller, S. M., & Lau, A. S. (2023). Barriers and strategies to improve digital mental health intervention uptake among college students of color: A modified Delphi study. Journal of Behavioral and Cognitive Therapy, 33(1), 10-23. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbct.2022.12.002,   Wen, A., Wolitzky-Taylor, K., Gibbons, R. D., & Craske, M. (2023). A randomized controlled trial on using predictive algorithm to adapt level of psychological care for community college students: STAND triaging and adapting to level of care study protocol. Trials, 24(1), 508. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07441-7,   Lipson, S. K., Zhou, S., Abelson, S., Heinze, J., Jirsa, M., Morigney, J., Patterson, A., Singh, M., & Eisenberg, D. (2022). Trends in college student mental health and help-seeking by race/ethnicity: Findings from the national healthy minds study, 2013–2021. Journal of Affective Disorders, 306, 138-147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2022.03.038,  
Abstract Body

Latine community college (CC) face significant mental health concerns but are unlikely to receive treatment. Barriers to mental health service uptake among Latine CC students have been delineated, but few studies have identified strategies to improve engagement. The goal of this study was to codesign and pilot a text messaging intervention to address barriers and increase uptake of a mental health screening and treatment program, called STAND, among Latine CC students.

 

We conducted two parallel sets of four codesign focus groups with CC students who had varying levels of engagement with STAND. We utilized rapid qualitative analysis to extract key themes, make refinements, and present updated prototypes for feedback. Among a subset of participants (n=8), we assessed five usability factors on a 5-point Likert: satisfaction, helpfulness, attractiveness, readability, comprehension, and likelihood of getting started with STAND after receiving texts. We piloted the intervention by randomly assigning a subset of participants (n=41) who started STAND but dropped off before completing screening or attending STAND orientation to receive the text messaging intervention.

 

Key themes in 3 domains emerged: 1) perceptions of texting and barriers to STAND, 2) message format, 3) message content. Themes for domain 1 included positive regard for text messaging and general agreement on key barriers. Format themes included: use short messages, not too many messages, use relevant language, use images, memes and short videos, make messages “human-like”.  Content themes included: reminders that you are not alone, knowledge that STAND has worked for students, express understanding of student stressors, and provide option to speak to a team member. Mean ratings on usability factors ranged from 3.9-4.2/5. Among pilot participants, 32% completed STAND screening (vs. 27% overall), 15% attended a STAND orientation (vs. 11% overall), and 46% of those who completed STAND screening attended an orientation (vs. 42% overall).

 

This study demonstrates a process for codesigning mental health engagement interventions with end-users. We also provide preliminary evidence for the potential effectiveness of a text messaging intervention to increase rates of treatment uptake among Latine CC students. Further research is needed to more rigorously test this intervention and make iterative refinements to improve response and effectiveness.