The role of digital mental health resources in encouraging help-seeking: A qualitative study of university students' experiences.

Digital mental health tools are increasingly available to university students, yet evidence remains limited on how Chinese students engage with these resources and how such engagement shapes help-seeking. This exploratory study examined Chinese postgraduate students' lived experiences of using digital mental health tools and the factors influencing engagement and perceived value. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 10 postgraduate students (aged 23-30) who had used mental health apps, AI chatbots, or online counseling services. Data were analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Four themes emerged: accessibility and anonymity lowered barriers to help-seeking; digital tools supported self-regulation but were viewed as complements rather than substitutes for professional care; sustained engagement was limited by impersonal responses, usability issues, credibility concerns, and digital fatigue; and stigma, self-reliance, and peer norms shaped willingness to seek support. Participants also highlighted concerns about safety and escalation pathways. Overall, digital tools may provide timely, low-threshold support, but their impact may be improved through stronger personalization and governance and through blended models that integrate peer and professional care with timely escalation. Given the small, context-specific sample, these results are exploratory and intended to generate hypotheses rather than provide generalizable conclusions.