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Peer-reviewedCC BYJournal of clinical medicine

Effects of Mental Health Interventions on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  • Josefa Salazar-Diaz1
  • Edgar Vásquez-Carrasco1,2,3
  • Jordan Hernandez-Martinez4,5
  • Pablo Aravena-Sagardía6
  • Roberto Lopez-Andaur7
  • Sebastián Burgos-Carrasco8
  • Eduardo José Fernández-Rodríguez9,10
  • Cristian Sandoval-Vásquez11,12
  • Pablo Valdés-Badilla13,14
14 affiliations
  1. 1School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Psychology, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3465548, Chile
  2. 2Centro de Investigación en Ciencias Cognitivas, Facultad de Psicología, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3465548, Chile
  3. 3VITALIS Longevity Center, Universidad de Talca, Talca 3465548, Chile
  4. 4Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Universidad de Los Lagos, Osorno 5290000, Chile
  5. 5Department of Education, Faculty of Humanities, Universidad de La Serena, La Serena 1700000, Chile
  6. 6Physical Education Pedagogy, Faculty of Education, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Temuco 4810101, Chile
  7. 7Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences Institute, School of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Sciences, Universidad Andres Bello, Santiago de Chile 7591538, Chile
  8. 8Académico Escuela de Terapia Ocupacional, Facultad de Salud y Ciencias Sociales, Universidad de Las Américas, Concepción 4030000, Chile
  9. 9Institute of Biomedical Research of Salamanca (IBSAL), 37007 Salamanca, Spain
  10. 10Department of Nursing and Physiotherapy, University of Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain
  11. 11Escuela de Tecnología Médica, Facultad de Salud, Universidad Santo Tomás, Los Carreras 753, Osorno 5310431, Chile
  12. 12Departamento de Medicina Interna, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco 4811230, Chile
  13. 13Department of Physical Activity Sciences, Faculty of Education Sciences, Universidad Católica del Maule, Talca 3530000, Chile
  14. 14Sports Coach Career, School of Education, Universidad Viña del Mar, Viña del Mar 2520000, Chile
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Abstract

Background: Mental health problems are common among university students. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of mental health interventions on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and sleep quality in this population. Methods: Randomized controlled trials published through 30 July 2026 were identified in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, and ProQuest. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and GRADE, respectively. Random-effects meta-analyses used mean differences (MDs) for outcomes reported on the same scale and Hedges’ g for sleep outcomes that used non-equivalent PSQI scores. Between-study variance was estimated using restricted maximum likelihood, with modified Hartung Knapp Sidik Jonkman inference. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261344616). Results: Nine studies met the eligibility criteria, and seven contributed to at least one meta-analysis. Interventions reduced PHQ-9 scores on average (MD = 2.21 points, 95% CI 0.89 to 3.54; p = 0.006; I2 = 81.0%), although the 95% prediction interval included no effect (−1.20 to 5.63). The pooled effects on GAD-7 scores (MD = 1.99, 95% CI −0.48 to 4.46; p = 0.089; I2 = 92.0%) and sleep quality (Hedges’ g = 1.30, 95% CI −3.08 to 5.68; p = 0.330; I2 = 99.1%) were not statistically conclusive. All prediction intervals included the null. Conclusions: Mental health interventions may reduce depressive symptoms among university students on average, but substantial heterogeneity limits the generalizability of this finding. Evidence for effects on anxiety and sleep quality remains inconclusive. More rigorous and clinically comparable trials are required.

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Cite

BibTeXRIS
BibTeX
@article{salazardiaz2026effects,
  title = {{Effects of Mental Health Interventions on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis}},
  author = {Josefa Salazar-Diaz and Edgar Vásquez-Carrasco and Jordan Hernandez-Martinez and Pablo Aravena-Sagardía and Roberto Lopez-Andaur and Sebastián Burgos-Carrasco and Eduardo José Fernández-Rodríguez and Cristian Sandoval-Vásquez and Pablo Valdés-Badilla},
  journal = {Journal of clinical medicine},
  year = {2026},
  month = oct,
  doi = {10.3390/jcm15197630},
  url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13665775},
  note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY  - JOUR
TI  - Effects of Mental Health Interventions on Depressive Symptoms, Anxiety, and Sleep Quality in University Students: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
AU  - Josefa Salazar-Diaz
AU  - Edgar Vásquez-Carrasco
AU  - Jordan Hernandez-Martinez
AU  - Pablo Aravena-Sagardía
AU  - Roberto Lopez-Andaur
AU  - Sebastián Burgos-Carrasco
AU  - Eduardo José Fernández-Rodríguez
AU  - Cristian Sandoval-Vásquez
AU  - Pablo Valdés-Badilla
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/10/01
JO  - Journal of clinical medicine
DO  - 10.3390/jcm15197630
UR  - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13665775
AB  - Background: Mental health problems are common among university students. This systematic review and meta-analysis examined the effects of mental health interventions on depressive symptoms, anxiety, and sleep quality in this population. Methods: Randomized controlled trials published through 30 July 2026 were identified in MEDLINE/PubMed, Scopus, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science Core Collection, EBSCOhost, CINAHL, and ProQuest. Risk of bias and certainty of evidence were assessed using Cochrane Risk of Bias 2 and GRADE, respectively. Random-effects meta-analyses used mean differences (MDs) for outcomes reported on the same scale and Hedges’ g for sleep outcomes that used non-equivalent PSQI scores. Between-study variance was estimated using restricted maximum likelihood, with modified Hartung Knapp Sidik Jonkman inference. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD420261344616). Results: Nine studies met the eligibility criteria, and seven contributed to at least one meta-analysis. Interventions reduced PHQ-9 scores on average (MD = 2.21 points, 95% CI 0.89 to 3.54; p = 0.006; I2 = 81.0%), although the 95% prediction interval included no effect (−1.20 to 5.63). The pooled effects on GAD-7 scores (MD = 1.99, 95% CI −0.48 to 4.46; p = 0.089; I2 = 92.0%) and sleep quality (Hedges’ g = 1.30, 95% CI −3.08 to 5.68; p = 0.330; I2 = 99.1%) were not statistically conclusive. All prediction intervals included the null. Conclusions: Mental health interventions may reduce depressive symptoms among university students on average, but substantial heterogeneity limits the generalizability of this finding. Evidence for effects on anxiety and sleep quality remains inconclusive. More rigorous and clinically comparable trials are required.
SN  - 2077-0383
ER  -