Sustainable Well- Being through Digital Spiritual Platforms-Examining the perceived usefulness, ease of use and generational gaps
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66635/0rcjzh94Keywords:
digital spirituality, sustainable well-being, perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, generational gaps, technology acceptanceAbstract
Digital spiritual platforms are emerging to market mental, social and spiritual wellness, through meditation, prayer, mindfulness, reflective experiences and virtual communities. The perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and difference between generations in accepting and sustaining the platforms are discussed in this review. It is based on the Technology Acceptance Model, which states that users are more likely to adopt digital spiritual services if they believe that the services are beneficial, easy to use, reliable, and accessible. Perceived usefulness is linked with stress reduction, emotional regulation, spiritual development, social connectedness, and long-term well-being, and perceived ease of use is impacted by platform design and navigation, digital literacy, personalisation and accessibility. There are also general differences among generations that are noted in the review. Young people may prefer basic and simple, and more personal experiences, whereas older people may prefer a simpler interface, easier instructions, and more technical help. While there are significant possibilities for digital spiritual platforms, issues of digital exclusion, privacy, commercialisation, cultural sensitivity, authenticity and over-reliance need to be tackled. Inclusive design, data practices that are transparent, culturally respectful content, and evidence-based instruction should be included on future platforms. To conclude, digital spiritual platforms have the potential to contribute positively to sustainable well-being when they are developed in an ethical way, are accessible and create a sense of human and community connection.
References
1.Aalbers, G., McNally, R. J., Heeren, A., De Wit, S., & Fried, E. (2019). Social media and depression symptoms: A network perspective. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 148(8).
2.Alper, B. A., Rotolo, M., Tevington, P., Nortey, J., & Kallo, A. (2023). Spirituality among Americans. Pew Research Center.
3.Borghouts, J., Eikey, E., Mark, G., De Leon, C., Schueller, S. M., Schneider, M., ... & Sorkin, D. H. (2021). Barriers to and facilitators of user engagement with digital mental health interventions: systematic review. Journal of medical Internet research, 23(3), e24387.
4.Campbell, H. (2020). The Distanced Church: Reflections on Doing Church Online-mobile version.
5.Campbell, H. A., & Evolvi, G. (2020). Contextualizing current digital religion research on emerging technologies. Human Behavior and Emerging Technologies, 2(1), 5-17.
6.Campbell, H. A., & Tsuria, R. (Eds.). (2021). Digital religion: Understanding religious practice in digital media. Routledge.
7.Carissoli, C., Villani, D., & Riva, G. (2015). Does a meditation protocol supported by a mobile application help people reduce stress? Suggestions from a controlled pragmatic trial.
8.Champion, L., Economides, M., & Chandler, C. (2018). The efficacy of a brief app-based mindfulness intervention on psychosocial
9.outcomes in healthy adults: A pilot randomised controlled trial. PloS one, 13(12), e0209482.
10.Coelho-Júnior, H. J., Calvani, R., Panza, F., Allegri, R. F., Picca, A., Marzetti, E., & Alves, V. P. (2022). Religiosity/spirituality and mental health in older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies. Frontiers in medicine, 9, 877213.
11.Cruwys, T., Stevens, M., & Greenaway, K. H. (2020). A social identity perspective on COVID‐19: Health risk is affected by shared group membership. British Journal of Social Psychology, 59(3), 584-593.
12.Eisenstadt, M., Liverpool, S., Infanti, E., Ciuvat, R. M., & Carlsson, C. (2021). Mobile apps that promote emotion regulation, positive mental health, and well-being in the general population: systematic review and meta-analysis. JMIR mental health, 8(11), e31170.
13.English, F. C. (2021). Technology Influences and Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Religious Practices: An Exploratory Case Study. Northcentral University.
14.Evolvi, G. (2022). Religion and the internet: Digital religion,(hyper) mediated spaces, and materiality. Zeitschrift Für Religion, Gesellschaft Und Politik, 6(1), 9-25.
15.Flett, J. A., Conner, T. S., Riordan, B. C., Patterson, T., & Hayne, H. (2020). App-based mindfulness meditation for psychological distress and adjustment to college in incoming university students: a pragmatic, randomised, waitlist-controlled trial. Psychology & health, 35(9), 1049-1074.
16.Gál, É., Ștefan, S., & Cristea, I. A. (2021). The efficacy of mindfulness meditation apps in enhancing users’ well-being and mental health related outcomes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Journal of affective disorders, 279, 131-142.
17.Gong, X. G., Wang, L. P., Rong, G., Zhang, D. N., Zhang, A. Y., & Liu, C. (2023). Effects of online mindfulness-based interventions on the mental health of university students: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Frontiers in psychology, 14, 1073647.
18.Green, J., Huberty, J., Puzia, M., & Stecher, C. (2021). The effect of meditation and physical activity on the mental health impact of COVID-19–related stress and attention to news among mobile app users in the United States: cross-sectional survey. JMIR mental health, 8(4), e28479.
19.Henson, P., David, G., Albright, K., & Torous, J. (2019). Deriving a practical framework for the evaluation of health apps. The Lancet Digital Health, 1(2), e52-e54.
20.Huberty, J. L., Green, J., Puzia, M. E., Larkey, L., Laird, B., Vranceanu, A. M., ... & Irwin, M. R. (2021). Testing a mindfulness meditation mobile app for the treatment of sleep-related symptoms in adults with sleep disturbance: a randomized controlled trial. Plos one, 16(1), e0244717.
21.Huberty, J., Green, J., Glissmann, C., Larkey, L., Puzia, M., & Lee, C. (2019a). Efficacy of the mindfulness meditation mobile app “calm” to reduce stress among college students: Randomized controlled trial. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(6), e14273.
22.Huberty, J., Vranceanu, A. M., Carney, C., Breus, M., Gordon, M., & Puzia, M. E. (2019b). Characteristics and usage patterns among 12,151 paid subscribers of the calm meditation app: cross-sectional survey. JMIR mHealth and uHealth, 7(11), e15648.
23.Karing, C. (2024). Long-term effects of combined mindfulness intervention and app intervention compared to single interventions during the COVID-19 pandemic: a randomized controlled trial. Frontiers in psychology, 15, 1355757.
24.Koenigsberg, J. Z. (2023). Depressive disorders: Integrated and unified psychotherapy approaches. Routledge.
25.Lahtinen, O., Aaltonen, J., Kaakinen, J., Franklin, L., & Hyönä, J. (2023). The effects of app-based mindfulness practice on the well-being of university students and staff. Current Psychology, 42(6), 4412-4421.
26.Levin, J. (2020). The faith community and the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak: Part of the problem or part of the solution?. Journal of religion and health, 59(5), 2215-2228.
27.Liverpool, S., Mota, C. P., Sales, C., Cus, A., Carletto, S., Hancheva, C., ... & Edbrooke-Childs, J. (2020). Approaches used for engaging children and young people in digital mental health interventions: a systematic review.
28.Melcher, J., Hays, R., & Torous, J. (2020). Digital phenotyping for mental health of college students: a clinical review. Evidence based mental health, 23(4).
29.Merchant, R. M., & Lurie, N. (2020). Social media and emergency preparedness in response to novel coronavirus. Jama, 323(20).
30.Musiat, P., Johnson, C., Atkinson, M., Wilksch, S., & Wade, T. (2022). Impact of guidance on intervention adherence in computerised interventions for mental health problems: a meta-analysis. Psychological medicine, 52(2), 229-240.
31.O'Daffer, A., Colt, S. F., Wasil, A. R., & Lau, N. (2022). Efficacy and conflicts of interest in randomized controlled trials evaluating headspace and calm apps: systematic review. JMIR mental health, 9(9), e40924.
32.Pargament, K. I., Exline, J. J., & Jones, J. W. (2013). Context, theory, and research. (No Title).
33.Park, D. Y., & Kim, H. (2023). 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. Sustainability, 15(1), 872.
34.Polizzi, C., Lynn, S. J., & Perry, A. (2020). Stress and coping in the time of COVID-19: Pathways to resilience and recovery. Clinical neuropsychiatry, 17(2), 59.
35.Rathbone, A. L., Clarry, L., & Prescott, J. (2017). Assessing the efficacy of mobile health apps using the basic principles of cognitive behavioral therapy: systematic review. Journal of medical Internet research, 19(11), e399.
36.Sawrikar, V., & Mote, K. (2022). Technology acceptance and trust: overlooked considerations in young people's use of digital mental health interventions. Health Policy and Technology, 11(4), 100686.
37.Schlosser, M., Sparby, T., Vörös, S., Jones, R., & Marchant, N. L. (2019). Unpleasant meditation-related experiences in regular meditators: Prevalence, predictors, and conceptual considerations. PloS one, 14(5), e0216643.
38.Siuda, P. (2021). Mapping digital religion: Exploring the need for new typologies. Religions, 12(6), 373.
39.Stecher, C., Berardi, V., Fowers, R., Christ, J., Chung, Y., & Huberty, J. (2021). Identifying app-based meditation habits and the associated mental health benefits: Longitudinal observational study. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 23(11), e27282.
40.Torous, J., Myrick, K. J., Rauseo-Ricupero, N., & Firth, J. (2020). Digital mental health and COVID-19: using technology today to accelerate the curve on access and quality tomorrow. JMIR mental health, 7(3), e18848.
41.Uslu, O. (2025). Understanding digital wellbeing: impacts, strategies, and the path to healthier technology practices. Discover Social Science and Health, 5(1), 145.
Vaidyam, A. N., Wisniewski, H., Halamka, J. D., Kashavan, M. S., & Torous, J. B. (2019). Chatbots and conversational agents in mental health: a review of the psychiatric landscape. The Canadian Journal of Psychiatry, 64(7), 456-464.
