Perceptions of Brazilian college students about ethics in computer-based data collection and interventions for mental health

Abstract

Many college students worldwide exhibited bad symptoms of mental health conditions. In Brazil, the indicators are particularly alarming. Computing technologies have been investigated as possible support in this scenario. However, there is still a need for further investigation on how computer-based health interventions are perceived in terms of their ethical implications and public opinion. This study collected answers by a questionnaire from 160 college Brazilian students regarding socio-demographic data, technology use, privacy and use of digital data, factors that affect mental health, strategies to preserve mental health, and 3 scenarios of computer-based technology to be judged according to the utility of technology, willingness to use it and ethics. The results indicate some different perceptions among participants considering their age, genders and areas of study, and also between the utility of technology and willingness to use it.