The Impact of Mental Health Apps on Well-Being: An Empirical Study

Abstract

In recent years, anonymous text-based platforms and emotional support apps such as VEOR have provided Chinese young adults with spaces to express emotions and seek psychological comfort. Despite their popularity, there is limited research examining how these anonymous interactions impact users’ mental health. This study explored how anonymous emotional support on the apps affected the well-being of Chinese young adult. 88 participants were recruited to complete the questionnaire. Eight participants were interviewed online as part of a qualitative analysis. The quantitative analysis results indicated that neither the use of the VEOR app nor similar emotional support features produced statistically significant differences in general well-being; however, the frequency of VEOR usage may have an influence on certain dimensions of General Well—Being (GWB) Schedule. The qualitative analysis results showed that VEOR users and two users of other apps felt supported and resonated. Users gained a sense of value from altruism, reporting great satisfaction when they were able to help others by listening and engaging in conversation. Users appreciated the diverse perspectives that these text-based support platforms offered. AI-provided answers offered a form of emotional validation, but they were not seen as significantly contributing to overall well-being. While no statistically significant differences were observed, the results revealed a potential trend: users who frequently used anonymous text-based support apps reported higher levels of well-being. The outcomes provide empirical evidence for the effectiveness of applying emotional support and promote the development of future mental health applications with specific directions.