Determinants of Intentions to Use Digital Mental Healthcare Content among University Students, Faculty, and Staff: Motivation, Perceived Usefulness, Perceived Ease of Use, and Parasocial Interaction with AI Chatbot

Depression is a worldwide health issue to which various physical, psychological, and social health problems are attributable. To address the issue through the promotion of digital mental healthcare content use, this study examines factors influencing people’s intentions to use the content, guided by the technology acceptance model and uses and gratifications theory. A total of 278 students and faculty/staff members at a Korean university tried using a digital mental healthcare content (e.g., artificial intelligence chatbot content) called MyMentalPocket and completed a survey questionnaire associated with their perceptions of the content. Participants’ depression levels, perceived usefulness, and parasocial interactions emerged as significant and positive factors influencing people’s intentions to use MyMentalPocket. Female gender, younger age, and specific motives for depression-related digital technology use (i.e., communication and emotional support, information- and guidance-seeking, and habitual entertainment-seeking motives) emerged as significant and positive factors influencing parasocial interactions. Parasocial interactions and perceived ease of use emerged as significant and positive factors influencing perceived usefulness. The findings from this study imply the utility of AI chatbots as a way to help people, especially females and younger people with depression and interpersonal difficulties, to utilize and benefit from digital mental healthcare content for depression management.