Effectiveness and Limitations of Mobile Applications for Adolescent Mental Health Promotion: A Scoping Review

Objectives: This study aimed to examine the effectiveness and limitations of mobile app–based mental health interventions for adolescents. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA-ScR guidelines. Studies from 2020 to 2024 were retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane databases. Results: Nineteen studies were included, targeting depression, anxiety, and stress using CBT, mindfulness, and emotion-tracking strategies. While apps showed positive effects on depressive symptoms, findings for anxiety and well-being were inconsistent. Conclusions: Mobile mental health apps hold potential for adolescent care, but limited study quality, short intervention duration, and low engagement hinder generalizability. User-centered, long-term designs are needed for more robust outcomes.