Dilemma of disclosure (Sprout extension)

Mental health is a serious issue that affects people of all ages, but is especially prevalent amongst college age youth. In the 2020-2021 school year, researchers found that around 60% of college students met the criteria for at least one mental health condition, such as major depression or generalized anxiety disorder. Many digital interventions have been innovated in order to help address this issue. These range in type and functionality from teletherapy to medication tracking applications. Some of these digital interventions include social features that allow users to interact with other users, friends, family, or doctors; however, having social features in a mental health application inherently requires some form of disclosure of having a condition, creating what we call the dilemma of disclosure. This project uses a mood tracking mobile app that supports privacy and incentivizes use by rewarding tracking behaviors with growth of a garden visualization. By keeping users in touch with their current emotional state, the approach aims to increase emotional intelligence and broader mental health.