Qualitative study analyzed cultural understanding and effectiveness of the VirtualMente intervention for anxiety and depression in youth, suggesting key adaptations for diverse contexts.
BACKGROUND Depression and anxiety substantially affect functionality and quality of life, adversely affecting personal, social, and occupational domains. OBJECTIVE This study analyzed the cultural understanding of the VirtualMente Mobile Booth, a digital intervention designed to address anxiety and depression in rural youth, using a differential approach. METHODS A qualitative study with interpretive and cultural perspectives was conducted in three phases: (1) cultural understanding of the digital intervention, (2) semantic and cultural validation, and (3) expert consensus. Data were thematically coded and triangulated using ATLAS.ti. RESULTS The VirtualMente Mobile Booth intervention was implemented with 87 young people from rural and urban areas of Caldas, Colombia, with diverse profiles in gender, educational level, and life experience. Phase 1 revealed the emotional impact of the intervention, technological ignorance, and sociocultural stigma surrounding mental health. In Phase 2, the team identified semantic and conceptual difficulties in the standardized instruments. Phase 3 incorporated a review by health, technology, and management experts, enabling adaptation of language and content without affecting clinical validity and ensuring the comprehension and cultural relevance of the questions. CONCLUSIONS Digital mental health interventions require contextual adaptation and knowledge exchange to be effective. This study provides evidence and tools to improve, scale, and sustain such initiatives in culturally diverse contexts.
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Loaiza et al. (2025) studied this question.
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