Talking all Things JoyPop™: A Qualitative Examination Using the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology - Teagan Neufeld (2024)

Post-secondary students in Canada face increasing mental health challenges and significant barriers to traditional support services, making mobile health (mHealth) applications like the resilience-building JoyPop™ app a promising solution for bridging the care gap. This study employed a qualitative approach grounded in the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) to examine the factors influencing student acceptance and engagement with the app, specifically exploring constructs such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, and facilitating conditions. The findings revealed that perceived usefulness and ease of use are critical drivers for adoption, with participants identifying the app as a valuable tool for self-regulation and coping. While social influence and facilitating conditions played varying roles in long-term usage, the research provides vital insights for the design and implementation of mental health tools in university settings. Ultimately, understanding these qualitative student experiences allows post-secondary institutions to better integrate digital tools into their mental health response strategies. Note: Winner of the Canadian Psychological Association Certificate of Academic Excellence.