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Volume 13, Issue 3 (2025)
Health Educ Health Promot 2025, 13(3): 511-519 |
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Received: 2025/07/1 | Accepted: 2025/08/20 | Published: 2025/08/27
Received: 2025/07/1 | Accepted: 2025/08/20 | Published: 2025/08/27
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Mental Health Promotion to Enhance Students’ Academic Integrity in the Digital Age. Health Educ Health Promot 2025; 13 (3) :511-519
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URL: http://hehp.modares.ac.ir/article-4-82658-en.html
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Introduction
Significant transformations in higher education, driven by the development of digital technology, have created new challenges for students regarding their academic skills as well as their psychological and ethical aspects. Learning activities require students to actively and independently engage in their studies. They should be able to manage the rapid and open advancements in digital technology while coping with pressure and upholding integrity values. In the midst of this complexity, attention to mental health conditions becomes increasingly crucial.
Numerous studies have demonstrated a rise in anxiety, burnout, and stress within academic settings, particularly among students. This is especially true following the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, where 71% of students reported experiencing increased psychological pressure when learning online. This finding aligns with Son et al., who noted that the transition to online learning leads to sleep disorders, difficulties concentrating, mental fatigue, and stress for many students [1]. Essentially, poor mental health has a detrimental impact on students’ ability to self-regulate and engage in honest academic behavior (academic integrity) [2].
Furthermore, in this digital age, academic integrity violations, such as cheating, manipulation, and plagiarism have become extremely complex phenomena. Academic violations, including online plagiarism, unhealthy collaboration, and exam cheating, have increased due to advancements in digital technology [3, 4]. On the other hand, if digitalization is utilized positively, it can facilitate access to information and flexible learning.
According to research by Ayoub-Al-Salim & Aladwan, integrity violations often go unnoticed in terms of accomplishments, but they have a long-term impact on students’ academic ethics [5]. Research by Uyun & Warsah identifies cheating behaviors, such as collaborating with other students to obtain answers on quizzes or tests, working together to complete individual assignments, doing assignments for others, and writing papers by quoting from books or other publications without citing the sources [6]. Academic integrity violations can result from a combination of stress, performance pressure, poor self-regulation, and a lack of psychological support, rather than always being driven by malicious intent [4].
According to research by Sozon et al., individual behavior is influenced by perceptions of academic cultural norms, underscoring the significance of integrity education-based prevention [7]. In essence, strengthening academic integrity in the digital age requires promotional and preventive approaches in addition to repressive measures, such as monitoring or sanctions.
Self-regulation, or the ability to autonomously plan, control, and evaluate one’s academic actions, is one of the internal factors that significantly influence academic integrity. Individuals who are mentally healthy typically possess better self-regulation skills, which can ultimately promote moral behavior in the classroom. Learners with high self-regulation can set learning goals, choose appropriate strategies, monitor their progress, and reflect on the effectiveness of the learning process [8]. Particularly in light of the demands of flexible and technology-based learning in the digital age, this model is relevant to the development of students’ autonomous learning abilities. It has been shown that students’ self-regulation is enhanced by interventions that promote self-awareness and stress management [9].
According to research by Ayoub-Al-Salim & Aladwan, the quality of learning outcomes and students’ academic integrity in online learning are positively correlated [5]. These findings support the argument that academic integrity impacts students’ overall intellectual achievement in addition to being an ethical issue. Violated academic behavior is also encouraged in the digital environment by individual factors (e.g., stress, academic pressure, and behavioral rationalization) as well as institutional regulatory weaknesses. Thus, to prevent integrity violations early on, a promotional approach that emphasizes mental health and strengthens self-esteem is very relevant [4].
Promoting mental health in academic settings not only enhances psychological well-being but also strengthens students’ moral values and character. Positive mental health is characterized by optimal emotional, social, and psychological functioning. According to theory [10], positive mental health serves as an important foundation for developing adaptive, integrated approaches and promoting interventions such as management training, stress education, and adaptive coping mechanisms. As a result, it may increase students’ resilience and decrease their likelihood of acting unethically [9].
Based on research by Drăghici & Cazan, students who experience academic burnout often deal with prolonged stress, academic anxiety, and a decline in motivation. Consequently, they run the risk of engaging in unethical behavior in an attempt to relieve the pressure they are under [11]. Psychological resilience and academic burnout are significantly negatively correlated. Resilient students typically have lower stress levels and are better equipped to handle academic stress in a healthy manner [12].
In a pre-post follow-up experimental design, Yurayat & Seechaliao’s online positive psychology intervention, based on Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale, significantly enhances students’ psychological well-being. This full-text legal intervention is more effective than the control group [9]. Along with academic performance and critical thinking skills, social-emotional well-being is an important component of first-year student success [13]. Promoting mental health that targets social-emotional well-being can strengthen academic engagement and prevent disengagement, which often serves as an excuse for integrity violations. Therefore, promoting mental health has important implications for students’ academic character development in addition to helping to improve individual well-being. To foster a healthy and ethical academic culture, higher education programs need to integrate structured preventive approaches such as stress education, self-regulation training, and resilience building.
Accordingly, academic integrity in the digital age cannot be separated from students’ mental health and self-regulation abilities. Poorly managed academic pressure, low psychological well-being, and a lack of adaptive coping mechanisms are primary manifestations of academic misconduct. Therefore, a relevant and potential strategy to prevent integrity violations is the systemic and contextually designed promotion of mental health. This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mental health promotion program in enhancing students’ academic integrity in the digital era. The findings are intended to support a healthy, integrity-based academic culture and provide an empirical contribution to the development of promotive intervention models in higher education settings.
Materials and Methods
This research employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design using a pre-test-post-test control group. The study was conducted in 2025 at STIKes Budi Mulia Sriwijaya, Palembang, Indonesia. The sample consisted of all students in the Diploma III Midwifery Study Program at STIKes Budi Mulia Sriwijaya who were enrolled in the 3rd to 5th semesters, totaling 60 students. The sample size was determined using a saturated sampling technique (total sampling), whereby the entire population was included as the research sample, resulting in the same number of respondents as the population. Accordingly, the 60 students were assigned as research participants and further divided proportionally into two groups: 30 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group. The inclusion criteria were as follows: students had to be active, enrolled in the 3rd to 5th semesters, not currently receiving any other psychological interventions, and willing to participate in the full set of research activities.
Both groups completed an initial assessment (pre-test) prior to the intervention. The experimental group participated in a three-session interactive digital mental health promotion intervention program that focused on teaching them about academic pressure and stress, time management and academic priorities, and how to strengthen adaptive coping mechanisms in a classroom setting. Each session was conducted in groups, using interactive digital media that included visual elements, educational videos, and facilitator guidance. The control group received the same educational treatment, but without any mental health-related content, and it was delivered through conventional media, such as printed leaflets, articles, and one-way narrative videos. The intervention approach was the main focus of the treatment difference, as the control group did not receive interactive assistance or reflective activities. Following the intervention, both groups completed a post-test assessment to evaluate changes in outcomes.
The research was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were provided with information regarding the research objectives and signed a written informed consent form prior to participation.
Three standardized tools were employed in both the pre-test and post-test assessments. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF), developed by Keyes in 2009, includes 14 items covering three dimensions including emotional, social, and psychological well-being rated on a 6-point Likert scale. The Self-Regulation Scale (SRS), originally developed by Schwarzer et al. in 2006, was used to assess students’ ability to plan, monitor, and reflect on their academic activities, with items rated on a 5-point scale. Finally, the Academic Integrity Scale, adapted from Whitley’s Academic Integrity Inventory in 1998, measured students’ honesty and ethical tendencies in academic contexts, using a 5-point Likert scale.
For normally distributed data, a paired t-test was used to determine the difference between pre-test and post-test scores in each group. If the data meet parametric assumptions, an independent t-test was used to compare the outcomes of the experimental and control groups. Also, if the data were not normally distributed, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used for paired data, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for data between groups. SPSS 24 was used for all analyses, and α=0.05 was set as the significance level.
Findings
The experimental group outperformed the control group in positive mental health (MHC), self-regulation (RC), and academic integrity (INT). The experimental group experienced a 2.47-point increase in positive mental health scores, compared to a 0.15-point increase for the control group. Similarly, the experimental group’s self-regulation increased by 2.10 points, significantly more than the control group’s 0.20-point increase.
In the same manner, the experimental group’s academic integrity score rose by 1.18 points, compared to just a 0.12-point increase for the control group. This difference indicates that the three primary parameters in the study are significantly impacted by the interactive digital media-based intervention for mental health promotion. This means that students’ positive mental health, self-regulation skills, and academic integrity behaviors can be significantly enhanced by mental health promotion interventions presented using an interactive digital approach. The control group, on the other hand, which only received conventional education, showed no noticeable changes (Table 1).
Table 1. Mean pre-test and post-test scores for each group
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/1.png]()
Assumptions of normality and homogeneity were examined. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that most data were normally distributed (p≥0.05), except for pre-MHC (p<0.05) and post-INT (p<0.05). Levene’s test showed that all parameters met the assumption of homogeneity (p>0.05). Accordingly, the pre-post comparisons were analyzed using the paired sample t-test for data that satisfied both normality and homogeneity assumptions, whereas the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to data that violated one or both assumptions (Table 2).
Table 2. Normality and homogeneity test results for the control group
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/2.png]()
Subsequently, assumption checks were conducted on the experimental group. Similar to the control group, normality and homogeneity tests were used to identify whether the data fulfilled the prerequisites for parametric testing. Most parameters were normally distributed, except for post-RC (p<0.05) and post-INT (p<0.05). Levene’s test confirmed that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p≥0.05). Therefore, the pre-post comparisons were analyzed using the paired sample t-test for parameters that met both the normality and homogeneity assumptions, while the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was employed for parameters that violated the normality assumption despite being homogeneous. This approach ensured the validity of the statistical analyses in both the control and experimental groups (Table 3).
Table 3. Normality and homogeneity test results for the experimental group
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/3.png]()
All three parameters significantly increased in the experimental group. Positive mental health scores increased from a mean of 38.00±4.51 to 72.33±3.37 (p≤0.0001), indicating a significant difference. Similarly, there was a difference in the self-regulation parameter, as the score rose from 61.53±7.74 to 75.80±8.31 (p≤0.0001). Additionally, the academic integrity parameter showed a significant increase (p≤0.05), rising from 59.00±8.15 to 82.60±9.88.
The average score for the three parameters increased in the control group; however, these changes were not statistically significant. The positive mental health score rose from 40.270±5.146 to 42.40±6.33 (p>0.05). The self-regulation score climbed from 58.53±7.68 to 62.50±9.43, yet the difference was not significant (p>0.05). Similarly, the academic integrity score rose from 59.90±7.81 to 62.37±7.94 (Table 4).
Table 4. Paired t-test results
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/4.png]()
The assumption tests at the pre-test stage indicated that most parameters were normally distributed, except for positive mental health in the control group (p<0.05). Levene’s test confirmed that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p≥0.05). Accordingly, intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test for self-regulation and Academic Integrity, while positive mental health was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test due to the violation of the normality assumption in the control group (Table 5).
Table 5. Normality and homogeneity test results for inter-group comparison (before the intervention)
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/5.png]()
Prior to the intervention, there were no differences between the groups in any of the parameters. The experimental group’s mean score for positive mental health was 38.00±4.51, while the control group’s mean score was 40.27±5.14 (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.468; Table 6).
The experimental group’s mean score for self-regulation was 61.53±7.74, while the control group’s mean score was 58.53±7.68 (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.388). These results fall into the small-to-moderate effect size category. In the pre-test, there was a nearly insignificant and non-statistically significant difference in the two groups’ mean self-regulation scores.
Furthermore, the pre-test scores for the academic integrity parameter were nearly identical for the control and experimental groups, at 59.90±7.81 and 59.00±8.15, respectively (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.113).
Table 6. Independent t-test results for pre-test intergroup comparison
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/6.png]()
Positive mental health in both groups met the normality assumption (p≥0.05), while self-regulation in the experimental group (p<0.05) and academic integrity in both groups (p<0.05) did not. Levene’s test indicated that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p>0.05). Accordingly, intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test for positive mental health, while self-regulation andD academic integrity were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test due to violations of the normality assumption (Table 7).
Table 7. Normality and homogeneity test results for inter-group comparisons (after the intervention)
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/7.png]()
Regarding positive mental health, the experimental group’s mean score (72.33±3.38) was significantly higher than the control group’s (42.40±6.34; p≤0.05; Cohen’s d=5.893). There was a significant difference in self-regulation between the experimental group (75.80±8.31) and the control group (62.50±9.44; p≤0.05; Cohen’s d=1.496). The experimental group’s average score of 82.60±9.89 was higher than the control group’s (62.37±7.95), showing a difference in academic integrity (p≤0.05). The obtained effect size (Cohen’s d=2.255) was classified as very large (Table 8).
Table 8. Independent t-test results for pre-test between-group comparison
![src=./files/hehp/images/HTML_Publish/82658/8.png]()
Discussion
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a digital-based mental health promotion in enhancing students’ academic integrity in the digital age. Students’ positive mental health, self-regulation, and academic integrity were markedly enhanced by digitally-based mental health promotion interventions. Both statistically and practically, students who participated in the program showed greater improvements in these aspects than those who did not receive the intervention. These findings support the idea that interactive digital media promoting mental health can be systematically used as a preventive strategy to address issues related to academic integrity in the digital age.
The learning system in higher education has evolved as a result of the development of digital technology, exposing students to more intricate demands for excellence, including technological distractions. This has led to a risk of declining mental health and well-being among students, triggering academic misconduct such as plagiarism, cheating, and data manipulation. Students are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues due to high academic demands, social pressure, and the adjustment to digital learning. According to a study by Browning et al., online classes tend to make students feel more stressed and anxious [14]. Thus, mental health promotion not only helps enhance psychological well-being but also contributes to establishing a foundation of academic integrity. Academic anxiety mediates deviant behavior; the higher the anxiety, the greater the potential for academic misconduct. Therefore, promoting mental health that reduces anxiety can also indirectly lower the likelihood of misconduct [15].
Students’ positive mental health scores significantly increased following digital-based interventions for mental health promotion. This illustrates how interactive approaches that integrate stress education, time management, and adaptive coping mechanisms can enhance students’ positive self-perceptions and mental health. This study supports a meta-analysis, finding interventions based on mental health promotion to be effective in improving student psychological well-being, especially when delivered in an engaging and responsive manner to the needs of the digital generation [4, 16]. It has been demonstrated that digital mental health-based interventions, such as applications or online platforms, greatly enhance students’ psychological health [17]. The use of digital media is essential to mental health promotion strategies that are relevant to stude
Significant transformations in higher education, driven by the development of digital technology, have created new challenges for students regarding their academic skills as well as their psychological and ethical aspects. Learning activities require students to actively and independently engage in their studies. They should be able to manage the rapid and open advancements in digital technology while coping with pressure and upholding integrity values. In the midst of this complexity, attention to mental health conditions becomes increasingly crucial.
Numerous studies have demonstrated a rise in anxiety, burnout, and stress within academic settings, particularly among students. This is especially true following the shift to online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic, where 71% of students reported experiencing increased psychological pressure when learning online. This finding aligns with Son et al., who noted that the transition to online learning leads to sleep disorders, difficulties concentrating, mental fatigue, and stress for many students [1]. Essentially, poor mental health has a detrimental impact on students’ ability to self-regulate and engage in honest academic behavior (academic integrity) [2].
Furthermore, in this digital age, academic integrity violations, such as cheating, manipulation, and plagiarism have become extremely complex phenomena. Academic violations, including online plagiarism, unhealthy collaboration, and exam cheating, have increased due to advancements in digital technology [3, 4]. On the other hand, if digitalization is utilized positively, it can facilitate access to information and flexible learning.
According to research by Ayoub-Al-Salim & Aladwan, integrity violations often go unnoticed in terms of accomplishments, but they have a long-term impact on students’ academic ethics [5]. Research by Uyun & Warsah identifies cheating behaviors, such as collaborating with other students to obtain answers on quizzes or tests, working together to complete individual assignments, doing assignments for others, and writing papers by quoting from books or other publications without citing the sources [6]. Academic integrity violations can result from a combination of stress, performance pressure, poor self-regulation, and a lack of psychological support, rather than always being driven by malicious intent [4].
According to research by Sozon et al., individual behavior is influenced by perceptions of academic cultural norms, underscoring the significance of integrity education-based prevention [7]. In essence, strengthening academic integrity in the digital age requires promotional and preventive approaches in addition to repressive measures, such as monitoring or sanctions.
Self-regulation, or the ability to autonomously plan, control, and evaluate one’s academic actions, is one of the internal factors that significantly influence academic integrity. Individuals who are mentally healthy typically possess better self-regulation skills, which can ultimately promote moral behavior in the classroom. Learners with high self-regulation can set learning goals, choose appropriate strategies, monitor their progress, and reflect on the effectiveness of the learning process [8]. Particularly in light of the demands of flexible and technology-based learning in the digital age, this model is relevant to the development of students’ autonomous learning abilities. It has been shown that students’ self-regulation is enhanced by interventions that promote self-awareness and stress management [9].
According to research by Ayoub-Al-Salim & Aladwan, the quality of learning outcomes and students’ academic integrity in online learning are positively correlated [5]. These findings support the argument that academic integrity impacts students’ overall intellectual achievement in addition to being an ethical issue. Violated academic behavior is also encouraged in the digital environment by individual factors (e.g., stress, academic pressure, and behavioral rationalization) as well as institutional regulatory weaknesses. Thus, to prevent integrity violations early on, a promotional approach that emphasizes mental health and strengthens self-esteem is very relevant [4].
Promoting mental health in academic settings not only enhances psychological well-being but also strengthens students’ moral values and character. Positive mental health is characterized by optimal emotional, social, and psychological functioning. According to theory [10], positive mental health serves as an important foundation for developing adaptive, integrated approaches and promoting interventions such as management training, stress education, and adaptive coping mechanisms. As a result, it may increase students’ resilience and decrease their likelihood of acting unethically [9].
Based on research by Drăghici & Cazan, students who experience academic burnout often deal with prolonged stress, academic anxiety, and a decline in motivation. Consequently, they run the risk of engaging in unethical behavior in an attempt to relieve the pressure they are under [11]. Psychological resilience and academic burnout are significantly negatively correlated. Resilient students typically have lower stress levels and are better equipped to handle academic stress in a healthy manner [12].
In a pre-post follow-up experimental design, Yurayat & Seechaliao’s online positive psychology intervention, based on Ryff’s Psychological Well-Being Scale, significantly enhances students’ psychological well-being. This full-text legal intervention is more effective than the control group [9]. Along with academic performance and critical thinking skills, social-emotional well-being is an important component of first-year student success [13]. Promoting mental health that targets social-emotional well-being can strengthen academic engagement and prevent disengagement, which often serves as an excuse for integrity violations. Therefore, promoting mental health has important implications for students’ academic character development in addition to helping to improve individual well-being. To foster a healthy and ethical academic culture, higher education programs need to integrate structured preventive approaches such as stress education, self-regulation training, and resilience building.
Accordingly, academic integrity in the digital age cannot be separated from students’ mental health and self-regulation abilities. Poorly managed academic pressure, low psychological well-being, and a lack of adaptive coping mechanisms are primary manifestations of academic misconduct. Therefore, a relevant and potential strategy to prevent integrity violations is the systemic and contextually designed promotion of mental health. This research aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a mental health promotion program in enhancing students’ academic integrity in the digital era. The findings are intended to support a healthy, integrity-based academic culture and provide an empirical contribution to the development of promotive intervention models in higher education settings.
Materials and Methods
This research employed a quantitative approach with a quasi-experimental design using a pre-test-post-test control group. The study was conducted in 2025 at STIKes Budi Mulia Sriwijaya, Palembang, Indonesia. The sample consisted of all students in the Diploma III Midwifery Study Program at STIKes Budi Mulia Sriwijaya who were enrolled in the 3rd to 5th semesters, totaling 60 students. The sample size was determined using a saturated sampling technique (total sampling), whereby the entire population was included as the research sample, resulting in the same number of respondents as the population. Accordingly, the 60 students were assigned as research participants and further divided proportionally into two groups: 30 students in the experimental group and 30 students in the control group. The inclusion criteria were as follows: students had to be active, enrolled in the 3rd to 5th semesters, not currently receiving any other psychological interventions, and willing to participate in the full set of research activities.
Both groups completed an initial assessment (pre-test) prior to the intervention. The experimental group participated in a three-session interactive digital mental health promotion intervention program that focused on teaching them about academic pressure and stress, time management and academic priorities, and how to strengthen adaptive coping mechanisms in a classroom setting. Each session was conducted in groups, using interactive digital media that included visual elements, educational videos, and facilitator guidance. The control group received the same educational treatment, but without any mental health-related content, and it was delivered through conventional media, such as printed leaflets, articles, and one-way narrative videos. The intervention approach was the main focus of the treatment difference, as the control group did not receive interactive assistance or reflective activities. Following the intervention, both groups completed a post-test assessment to evaluate changes in outcomes.
The research was conducted in accordance with the ethical principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. All participants were provided with information regarding the research objectives and signed a written informed consent form prior to participation.
Three standardized tools were employed in both the pre-test and post-test assessments. The Mental Health Continuum-Short Form (MHC-SF), developed by Keyes in 2009, includes 14 items covering three dimensions including emotional, social, and psychological well-being rated on a 6-point Likert scale. The Self-Regulation Scale (SRS), originally developed by Schwarzer et al. in 2006, was used to assess students’ ability to plan, monitor, and reflect on their academic activities, with items rated on a 5-point scale. Finally, the Academic Integrity Scale, adapted from Whitley’s Academic Integrity Inventory in 1998, measured students’ honesty and ethical tendencies in academic contexts, using a 5-point Likert scale.
For normally distributed data, a paired t-test was used to determine the difference between pre-test and post-test scores in each group. If the data meet parametric assumptions, an independent t-test was used to compare the outcomes of the experimental and control groups. Also, if the data were not normally distributed, the Wilcoxon Signed-Rank test was used for paired data, and the Mann-Whitney U test was used for data between groups. SPSS 24 was used for all analyses, and α=0.05 was set as the significance level.
Findings
The experimental group outperformed the control group in positive mental health (MHC), self-regulation (RC), and academic integrity (INT). The experimental group experienced a 2.47-point increase in positive mental health scores, compared to a 0.15-point increase for the control group. Similarly, the experimental group’s self-regulation increased by 2.10 points, significantly more than the control group’s 0.20-point increase.
In the same manner, the experimental group’s academic integrity score rose by 1.18 points, compared to just a 0.12-point increase for the control group. This difference indicates that the three primary parameters in the study are significantly impacted by the interactive digital media-based intervention for mental health promotion. This means that students’ positive mental health, self-regulation skills, and academic integrity behaviors can be significantly enhanced by mental health promotion interventions presented using an interactive digital approach. The control group, on the other hand, which only received conventional education, showed no noticeable changes (Table 1).
Table 1. Mean pre-test and post-test scores for each group
Assumptions of normality and homogeneity were examined. The Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicated that most data were normally distributed (p≥0.05), except for pre-MHC (p<0.05) and post-INT (p<0.05). Levene’s test showed that all parameters met the assumption of homogeneity (p>0.05). Accordingly, the pre-post comparisons were analyzed using the paired sample t-test for data that satisfied both normality and homogeneity assumptions, whereas the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was applied to data that violated one or both assumptions (Table 2).
Table 2. Normality and homogeneity test results for the control group
Subsequently, assumption checks were conducted on the experimental group. Similar to the control group, normality and homogeneity tests were used to identify whether the data fulfilled the prerequisites for parametric testing. Most parameters were normally distributed, except for post-RC (p<0.05) and post-INT (p<0.05). Levene’s test confirmed that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p≥0.05). Therefore, the pre-post comparisons were analyzed using the paired sample t-test for parameters that met both the normality and homogeneity assumptions, while the Wilcoxon signed-rank test was employed for parameters that violated the normality assumption despite being homogeneous. This approach ensured the validity of the statistical analyses in both the control and experimental groups (Table 3).
Table 3. Normality and homogeneity test results for the experimental group
All three parameters significantly increased in the experimental group. Positive mental health scores increased from a mean of 38.00±4.51 to 72.33±3.37 (p≤0.0001), indicating a significant difference. Similarly, there was a difference in the self-regulation parameter, as the score rose from 61.53±7.74 to 75.80±8.31 (p≤0.0001). Additionally, the academic integrity parameter showed a significant increase (p≤0.05), rising from 59.00±8.15 to 82.60±9.88.
The average score for the three parameters increased in the control group; however, these changes were not statistically significant. The positive mental health score rose from 40.270±5.146 to 42.40±6.33 (p>0.05). The self-regulation score climbed from 58.53±7.68 to 62.50±9.43, yet the difference was not significant (p>0.05). Similarly, the academic integrity score rose from 59.90±7.81 to 62.37±7.94 (Table 4).
Table 4. Paired t-test results
The assumption tests at the pre-test stage indicated that most parameters were normally distributed, except for positive mental health in the control group (p<0.05). Levene’s test confirmed that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p≥0.05). Accordingly, intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test for self-regulation and Academic Integrity, while positive mental health was analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test due to the violation of the normality assumption in the control group (Table 5).
Table 5. Normality and homogeneity test results for inter-group comparison (before the intervention)
Prior to the intervention, there were no differences between the groups in any of the parameters. The experimental group’s mean score for positive mental health was 38.00±4.51, while the control group’s mean score was 40.27±5.14 (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.468; Table 6).
The experimental group’s mean score for self-regulation was 61.53±7.74, while the control group’s mean score was 58.53±7.68 (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.388). These results fall into the small-to-moderate effect size category. In the pre-test, there was a nearly insignificant and non-statistically significant difference in the two groups’ mean self-regulation scores.
Furthermore, the pre-test scores for the academic integrity parameter were nearly identical for the control and experimental groups, at 59.90±7.81 and 59.00±8.15, respectively (p>0.05; Cohen’s d=0.113).
Table 6. Independent t-test results for pre-test intergroup comparison
Positive mental health in both groups met the normality assumption (p≥0.05), while self-regulation in the experimental group (p<0.05) and academic integrity in both groups (p<0.05) did not. Levene’s test indicated that all parameters satisfied the homogeneity assumption (p>0.05). Accordingly, intergroup comparisons were performed using the independent sample t-test for positive mental health, while self-regulation andD academic integrity were analyzed using the Mann-Whitney U test due to violations of the normality assumption (Table 7).
Table 7. Normality and homogeneity test results for inter-group comparisons (after the intervention)
Regarding positive mental health, the experimental group’s mean score (72.33±3.38) was significantly higher than the control group’s (42.40±6.34; p≤0.05; Cohen’s d=5.893). There was a significant difference in self-regulation between the experimental group (75.80±8.31) and the control group (62.50±9.44; p≤0.05; Cohen’s d=1.496). The experimental group’s average score of 82.60±9.89 was higher than the control group’s (62.37±7.95), showing a difference in academic integrity (p≤0.05). The obtained effect size (Cohen’s d=2.255) was classified as very large (Table 8).
Table 8. Independent t-test results for pre-test between-group comparison
Discussion
This study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a digital-based mental health promotion in enhancing students’ academic integrity in the digital age. Students’ positive mental health, self-regulation, and academic integrity were markedly enhanced by digitally-based mental health promotion interventions. Both statistically and practically, students who participated in the program showed greater improvements in these aspects than those who did not receive the intervention. These findings support the idea that interactive digital media promoting mental health can be systematically used as a preventive strategy to address issues related to academic integrity in the digital age.
The learning system in higher education has evolved as a result of the development of digital technology, exposing students to more intricate demands for excellence, including technological distractions. This has led to a risk of declining mental health and well-being among students, triggering academic misconduct such as plagiarism, cheating, and data manipulation. Students are particularly vulnerable to mental health issues due to high academic demands, social pressure, and the adjustment to digital learning. According to a study by Browning et al., online classes tend to make students feel more stressed and anxious [14]. Thus, mental health promotion not only helps enhance psychological well-being but also contributes to establishing a foundation of academic integrity. Academic anxiety mediates deviant behavior; the higher the anxiety, the greater the potential for academic misconduct. Therefore, promoting mental health that reduces anxiety can also indirectly lower the likelihood of misconduct [15].
Students’ positive mental health scores significantly increased following digital-based interventions for mental health promotion. This illustrates how interactive approaches that integrate stress education, time management, and adaptive coping mechanisms can enhance students’ positive self-perceptions and mental health. This study supports a meta-analysis, finding interventions based on mental health promotion to be effective in improving student psychological well-being, especially when delivered in an engaging and responsive manner to the needs of the digital generation [4, 16]. It has been demonstrated that digital mental health-based interventions, such as applications or online platforms, greatly enhance students’ psychological health [17]. The use of digital media is essential to mental health promotion strategies that are relevant to stude