Evaluating the Impact of a Digital Psychosocial Tool (Wysa) on Life Skills and Well-being of College Students in India

Evaluating the Impact of a Digital Psychosocial Tool (Wysa) on Life Skills and Overall Well-being With English-Speaking College Students in Gandhinagar, India: A Mixed Methods Feasibility Study

The goal of this study is to learn the feasibility of a digital psychosocial tool (Wysa) in improving life skills and overall wellbeing of English-speaking college students in IIT-Gandhinagar, a university in India. This will be conducted using pre-post assessments examining resilience, self-efficacy, problem solving, and wellbeing as well as examining app usage during the intervention period. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. The feasibility and acceptability of Wysa amongst college students enrolled at the university
2. The effectiveness of Wysa in improving the life skills and well-being of college students enrolled at the university

This study will employ a mixed methods pre-post design to examine whether a digital psychosocial tool can help college students in India learn ways to manage their problems and improve their wellbeing. Students enrolled at the Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT-Gn) and are interested in learning skills to manage stressors are invited to participate in the study. The intervention being studied is the Wysa app which includes an AI-based chatbot, a library of toolpacks , and SOS resources. Participants will complete baseline research procedures (T0) and be able to download the app. Participants can use the Wysa app for a period of 2 months. At the end of 2 months, participants will be invited to complete their endline assessments (T1). Another follow-up assessment (T2) will be carried out 1 month after the intervention period completion. A sub-sample of participants will be invited to participate in qualitative interviews to provide feedback about their experiences using the Wysa app and to understand the barriers and facilitators to acceptability and effectiveness of the app.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Are between 18-25 years of age
• Are a student of Idian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (IIT Gandhinagar)
• Are able to read and understand English
• Have access to an internet enabled smartphone

Exclusion Criteria:

• Have previously used Wysa app (the intervention)
• Presence of self-harm/suicidal risk