Interactive Mobile Application for USM Students to Prevent Mental

Health Issues

Bee Sin Yee

School of The Arts

Interactive Mobile Application for USM Students to Prevent Mental
Health Issues

BY

BEE SIN YEE

A report submitted

In partial fulfilment of the requirements for the

Degree of Bachelor of Fine Art

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 DECLARATION

No portion of work referred to in this dissertation has been submitted in support of an

application for another degree of qualification of this or any other university or institution of
higher learning.

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Many individuals have bestowed upon me their blessings and heartfelt support in the
successful completion of this project. I am utilising to thank everyone who has been giving me
a great support in this project. I'd want to express my heartfelt appreciation to my supervisor,
Dr. Norfarizah Mohd Bakhir, for her expertise and assistance. She is the finest instructor
someone could possibly have. I consider myself fortunate to be under her direction. Her
comments and directions have been a significant influence to the project's completion. In
addition, I'd want to thank my parents, who are constantly encouraging and believe in me. In
addition, I am grateful to my friends for lending me a helping hand when I needed it and for
providing me with a lot of recommendations and inspiration during the entire process of
creating this application. Last but not least, I'd want to thank everyone who tested the app and
provided me with important feedback and comments.

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 TABLE OF CONTENT

DECLARATION .................................................................................................................................... 2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ...................................................................................................................... 3
TABLE OF CONTENT .......................................................................................................................... 4
ABSTARCT ............................................................................................................................................ 6
CHAPTER 1 ........................................................................................................................................... 7
1.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 7
1.2 Background Research ................................................................................................................... 9
1.3 Problem Statement ...................................................................................................................... 11
1.4 Research Question ...................................................................................................................... 11
1.5 Objective ..................................................................................................................................... 11
1.6 Research Limitation .................................................................................................................... 12
1.7 Previous Research ....................................................................................................................... 13
1.7.1 Befrienders Kuala Lumpur................................................................................................... 13
1.7.2 Talkspace ............................................................................................................................. 14
1.7.3 BetterHelp ............................................................................................................................ 14
1.7.4 Youper.................................................................................................................................. 15
1.7.5 Calm ..................................................................................................................................... 15
1.8 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 16
CHAPTER 2 ......................................................................................................................................... 17
LITERATURE REVIEW ..................................................................................................................... 17
2.1 Introduction to Mobile Apps ....................................................................................................... 17
2.2 Mobile Healthcare Applications ................................................................................................. 19
2.3 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 21
CHAPTER 3 ......................................................................................................................................... 22
3.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 22
3.2 Research Design.......................................................................................................................... 22
3.3 Research Method ........................................................................................................................ 22
3.3.1 Subject Selection .................................................................................................................. 23
3.3.2 Data Collection and Analyzing ............................................................................................ 23
3.4 Sample......................................................................................................................................... 24
3.5 Research Instrument.................................................................................................................... 24
3.5.1 Interview and Feedback Form.............................................................................................. 25
3.6 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 29
Chapter 4 ............................................................................................................................................... 30
Design Development ............................................................................................................................. 30

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 4.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 30
4.2 Main Concept ........................................................................................................................ 30
4.3 Pre-Production ...................................................................................................................... 30
4.3.1 Sketch of Project .................................................................................................................. 31
4.4 Production ................................................................................................................................... 32
4.4.1 Android Studio Coding ........................................................................................................ 32
4.4.3 Projection Testing ................................................................................................................ 33
4.5 Conclusion .................................................................................................................................. 40
Chapter 5 ............................................................................................................................................... 41
Research Findings ................................................................................................................................. 41
5.1 Introduction ................................................................................................................................. 41
5.2 Interview and feedback form ...................................................................................................... 41
5.2.1 Interview .............................................................................................................................. 41
5.2.1.1 Interview question for USM student ................................................................................. 42
5.2.2.1 Feedback Form.................................................................................................................. 47
Chapter 6 Conclusion............................................................................................................................ 53
References ............................................................................................................................................. 54

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 Interactive Mobile Application for USM Students to Prevent Mental
Health Issues

Bee Sin Yee

ABSTARCT
The significant of mobile phones in our daily life and activities is undeniably unending.
Mobile phones are no longer just the simple communication device as it used to be. Nowadays,
the remarkable communicative interface and the usability between the device and the Internet
are all through the development of applications to make mobile computing a new and
innovative experience to the whole new level. The purpose of this project is to allow certain
groups of USM students which are people suffering from mental health issues have a new way
to seek help from USM therapist. Instead of walk-in interview, using phone call or email, a
mobile application is more convenient and easier to use. In order to increase the chances of
student seeking help for their mental health issues. The effects of colour and shape theories on
mental health need to be discussed in order to be better used in mobile apps. The user interface
of the mobile application needs to be designed to be warm and calm. Thus, through this
application users can easily contact with their therapist and make appointment just with one
click. This will change the way for USM students feel more at ease to seek help from others or
confide in their hearts.

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 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION OF RESEARCH

1.1 Introduction

In the era of modern information and communication systems, the use and development of
mobile applications is an emerging and rapidly growing industry. It is undeniable that the
importance of mobile phones in our daily lives and activities is endless. The reason for this is
that a huge transformation is taking place, because mobile phones are no longer the usual
communication devices in the past. With the incredible variety of features and opportunities
offered by mobile phones, it has become a huge focus for individuals and businesses. (Oza,
The Importance Of Mobile Applications In Everyday Life!, 2017) Especially it is more
convenient for human's daily life. Nowadays, so many people in the world are using mobile
applications to connect with friends, browse the Internet, file content management, document
creation and processing, entertainment, etc. Mobile applications have had an impact on society.
Mobile applications not only have an impact on users, but also play an important role in the
business. Many commercial companies are using mobile apps to make money. In recent years,
it has become more common for businesses to use mobile apps to run their businesses. From
anywhere, users can use mobile applications. Mobile applications have a positive impact on
the world. People can use applications on their mobile phones at anytime, anywhere, it makes
human life has got a lot of convenience. People can do many things in his daily life and business
life.

At the same time, people are often troubled by various problems in the real society.
Therefore, people’s mental health is also subject to various pressures from all sides. This has
caused many modern people to suffer from so-called mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder,
depression, and so on. Insomnia is becoming a very common trend in the crowd. All of the
above phenomena may lead to a person to commit suicide. Suicide refers to a dangerous
behaviour in which individuals deliberately or voluntarily adopt various means to end their
lives under the influence of complex psychological activities. Suicide is a complex social
phenomenon. Certain group of people believe that suicide is an escape from an intolerable
environment. At the same time, suicide intervention is mainly in prevention. Suicide prevention
can be divided into three levels, namely primary prevention, secondary prevention and tertiary
prevention. Which are widely publicize mental health knowledge, improve the skills of the
crowd to cope with difficulties, secondly, help people who have thoughts of suicide through

7
psychological hotline consultation or face-to-face consultation services in order to eliminate
suicidal thoughts. Tertiary prevention mainly refers to taking measures to prevent people who
have attempted suicide before and try to suicide again. (Zhaoying, 2019)

As result, a platform should be to provide for people that struggling from their own
emotional to seek help. For introverts, it is extremely difficult to call to talk about their concerns
or to speak out their thoughts face to face. Sending emails can also be troublesome for some
people. At this time, using apps and then using words to express your thoughts becomes an
easier task. The colours, shapes and sound effects used in this project will effectively affect the
mood of humans with the help of psychology theories. It will be a significant in medical
psychology field and so the visuality.

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1.2 Background Research

A person’s emotional, psychological, and social well-being are all summarized in the scope
of mental health. It affects our thinking, feeling and behaviour. World Health Organization
(WHO) stated that, mental health is a "state of happiness in which an individual can exert his
or her abilities, be able to cope with normal life pressures, be able to work productively, and
be able to contribute to his or her community ". From childhood, adolescence to adulthood,
mental health is important at all stages of our lives. It is the foundation of thinking, learning,
communication, resilience and self-esteem. Mental illness, also called mental disorder, can
affect anyone. Mental illness refers to a health condition that involves changes in thoughts,
emotions, behaviour or a combination of both, which often makes it difficult to cope with
common needs and routines in life. If a person is not diagnosed with a mental illness, he may
suffer from poor mental health. According to the 2015 National Health and Morbidity Survey,
4.2 million Malaysians aged 16 and above (29.2%) are facing mental health problems. Mental
illness can take many forms. Some people are quite gentle and interfere with daily life in limited
ways. On the contrary, a person's mental health situation is very serious and may require
hospital care and medical care. Despite the serious consequences, many people with mental
illness do not want to talk about it. From attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder, eating and
personality disorders, and drug abuse to depression and other mood disorders, there are more
than 200 categories of mental illnesses. The most common are depression, anxiety, bipolar
disorder and schizophrenia. (Dr Ng Chong Guan & Dr Hazli Bin Zakaria, 2019)

Nearly one million people die by suicide each year, and the global average annual suicide
rate is 16 per 100,000 people. Until 2020, WHO estimates that approximately 1.53 million
people or nearly 3% of all deaths in the world will be due to suicide, and the number of suicide
attempts will increase by 10-20 times worldwide. On average, it means that one person dies
every 20 seconds and tries every 1-2 seconds. In Malaysia, reported attempted suicides and
deaths resulting from admissions to government hospitals continued to increase from 1999 to
2007. The age range of patients is mainly 12 to 24, and the number of women exceeds that of
men. (Aishvarya Sinniah, T. Maniam, Tian Po Oei, & Ponnusamy Subramaniam, 2014)

60-70% of people who commit suicide are depressed while they are alive and have signs
of some kind of mental health issues. Among the various mental illnesses closely related to
suicide, depression is a particularly important risk factor. Many patients with depression have
never received psychiatric treatment or proper treatment before committing suicide.

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(TAKAHASHI, 2001) Although depression, psychomotor retardation, anxiety, and autonomic
symptoms may occur in depression, patients with depression usually do not realize that they
have mental problems. Or they have nowhere to talk about their own thoughts so that no one
will notice their abnormalities. Then came the tragedy of personal suicide. Some mental
disorders are related to the abnormal function of nerve cell circuits or pathways that connect
specific brain regions. Biological factors such as a person's individual genetic makeup,
infections, brain defects or injuries, etc. may cause mental illness. In addition, psychological
and environmental factors such as neglect and some stressful events such as a person
experiencing the death of a loved one or lover, divorce, and drug abuse can also lead to mental
illness. The amount and duration of stress that people endure can affect a person's mental health,
especially when the individual cannot change the circumstances. These mental illnesses are
caused by all these factors together. (Smitha Bhandari, 2020)

The mobile phone is arguably one of the world's most rapidly spreading and adopted
technologies. Technology is an unavoidable reality in today's world. The appealing benefits of
wireless technology has accelerated the rapid development of mobile applications. (Güler

Kalem, 2015) Although various applications and their uses are still relatively new in health
care, such as My Sejahtera apps in Malaysia, their popularity is skyrocketing. With the
increased use of mobile devices in recent years, new solutions, including mobile technologies,
have emerged to meet requirements or suggest better solutions to existing ones in the vast field
of medical informatics. Wireless technology advancement has a positive impact on medical
applications. The increasing availability and quality of medical software apps has greatly
assisted in the rapid integration of mobile devices into clinical practice. Apps are software
programs designed to run on a computer or mobile device to accomplish a specific task. Faster
processors, improved memory, smaller batteries, and highly efficient open-source operating
systems capable of performing complex functions have paved the way for the creation of a
flood of medical mobile device apps for both professional and personal use. (C. Lee Ventola,
2014)

Thus, technology and mobile application have indeed brought new possibilities to the
medical field. (Wilson, 2018)

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1.3 Problem Statement

1. There is a lack of high-quality evidence to show the effectiveness of the suicide hotline.
(Adam S. Hoffberg, 2020)
2. Mental health apps are charged. The app can be downloaded for free, but a consultation
fee is charged to consumers who want to use the app. (Yin, et al., 2020)
3. Introverts like to listen rather than talk. (OSBORN, 2015)

1.4 Research Question

1. What is the preferred way that people are most interested while seek help for mental
health issues?
2. Does the current hotline way still effective to be use on everyone?
3. Will an interactive mobile apps give a new communicate experience for people who
suffering from mental health issue?

1.5 Objective

1. To identify the way that people are interested when they seek for help.
2. To analyze the mobile apps medium in preventing mental health issue.
3. To design an interactive apps as a new platform for people who need mental health
communication.

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1.6 Research Limitation

For my research, application of mental health communicate will be tested for University
Science Malaysia student only and the range of age group is 19-35 years-old. Therefore, it is
difficult to make the most suitable interface design for all people. Because people who suffer
from mental health problems come from all walks of life and all age groups. For example,
young people like cartoons and colorful user interfaces. However, professionals or office
workers may prefer a simple user interface. This test can only try to design mobile applications
that are suitable for people at all levels according to the popularity of the public. Especially for
the comfort and relaxation of psychological and emotional aspects.

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1.7 Previous Research

Figure 1: Befrienders suicide helpline.

1.7.1 Befrienders Kuala Lumpur

Befrienders is a not-for-profit organization providing emotional support 24 hours a
day, 7 days a week, to people who are lonely, in distress, in despair, and having suicidal
thoughts - without charge.

In 1970, a group of pioneer Malaysians was concerned about the emotional wellbeing
of the community after the occurrence of communal riots on 13 May 1969. With the
assistance of professional psychiatrists and psychologists from University Hospital, Kuala
Lumpur, The Befrienders Kuala Lumpur was established. The Befrienders KL is a non-profit
organization modeled after Samaritans, a movement started in London in 1953 by Dr Chad
Varah. Since then, the movement has spread around the world under the umbrella body called
Befrienders Worldwide. Today, Befrienders Worldwide is a dynamic and expanding global
network of 349 emotional support centers in 32 countries, spanning 5 continents. These
centers are staffed by more than 25,000 volunteers who provide vital support to an estimated
7 million service users each year. These centers provide an open space for those in distress to
talk and be heard.

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1.7.2 Talkspace

Figure 2: talkspace.

Talkspace matches users, including teens and couples, with licensed therapists for one-
on-one support. You can send text, audio, or video messages 24/7 and they’ll get back to you
within a day. Talkspace covers over 40 million Americans through insurance, offering
psychiatry on top of therapy. Plans start at $65 per week without insurance.

1.7.3 BetterHelp

Figure 3: BetterHelp.

BetterHelp offers weekly live sessions with licensed therapists chosen to meet your
needs. On top of that, you can send texts, voice messages, and videos to your counselor for

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seamless communication. Group therapy sessions are also available. Plans start at $40 per
week.

1.7.4 Youper

Figure 4: Youper – best self-guide therapy app.

If traditional therapy is too expensive, Youper offers an AI-powered alternative that

helps you work toward your specific mental health goals. The app gauges how you're feeling
each day, offering audio, visuals, and words of encouragement that'll keep you on track. Some
people even use it alongside therapy.

1.7.5 Calm

Figure 5: Calm - Best Mindfulness App

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 Complete with soothing soundtracks, mindful movement exercises, and meditation
programs, Calm is a must for anyone who wants to improve their sleep or get in touch with
their spiritual side. It's also Apple's top app in health and fitness, meaning it's the real deal.
Michener herself uses Calm to relax on a daily basis. (Forbes, 2021)

1.8 Conclusion
As conclusion, for those who are struggling of mental health issue are giving suggestion

of seek for help from family, friends or suicide helpline. However, the problem that may cause

them anxiety or depression is from their family members or close friends for some people. So,

they only have the last option that is to seek help from the suicide hotline or therapist consultant

in university. If there are an apps for them to seek help via apps, which is the apps provided

consultation online or make appointment to walk in for consultation, it will be more convenient

and feel comfortable. With the aid of mobile apps, people can speak out their problem easily.

Lastly, I sincerely hope that a free heart talk communicate applications can help with people

who suffering from any kind of issue. In order to prevent they turn their suicide thought in to

action.

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 CHAPTER 2

LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction to Mobile Apps

Mobile applications, usually called apps, are software developed for use on wireless
mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. The design of the application takes into
account the limitations and functions of the mobile device. For example, games can use the
accelerometer of a smartphone, or drawing tablet applications can use the stylus of a tablet.
Compared with an integrated software system on a computer, each mobile application usually
provides specific functions. Gaming applications are the most popular category among Apple
users, accounting for 25% of active applications. Tools, communications, video players and
editing, travel, and local are the world’s leading Android application categories. The fastest-
growing application verticals in 2018 are mid-core games, car-hailing and taxi applications,
sports games and video applications (Mobile app usage - Statistics & Facts, 2021). In general,
mobile applications on mobile phones can be compared to decorations on cakes because they
make mobile phones fun and interesting. The number of mobile applications is not limited, and
the scope of its use is in all walks of life. People hope that more and more such applications
can achieve a relaxed lifestyle and life. Currently, the use of mobile applications can be seen
in areas such as communication, education, cooking, social media, shopping, business,
marriage, and banking. People are looking for updated versions of these applications every day.
Application developers and application development companies have been struggling to keep
up with demand. Therefore, the growth of new application developers and application
development companies has increased recently (Oza, The Importance Of Mobile Applications
In Everyday Life!, 2017).

Mobile applications have indeed brought endless benefits to mankind in all aspects.
Mobile apps seem to be the new holy grail of business, especially for marketing, but not only
that. With the development of technology, new features are available almost every day, and at
least in a professional environment, it is common to discuss how companies use mobile
applications for market research. It is common to redefine more complex segmentation
standards, promote new services, and improve customers loyalty or participation at the social
level. Almost all companies want to be seen as modern and fresh, or focus on the value provided
to consumers, propose their own applications or go public on existing applications and
platforms with new business opportunities. In this empirical exploratory paper, based on

17
literature insights, interviews with managers, and case studies, we summarize the main
challenges companies face when launching their own applications, their limitations, and the
irritating relationship between business and social innovation (Florina Pinzaru, 2017). It is also
inevitable in Malaysia that people using mobile apps to buy and sell has become an increasingly
common phenomenon. In Malaysia, the number one online shopping mobile apps on Google
Play Store are Shopee, followed by Lazada and Wish (Hochman, 2021). In additions, the
circumference of the media and entertainment industry has been surpassed, crossing
geographic boundaries to become digital, which can be used online. Whether you want to watch
your favourite movie or channel, just tap to watch it on your smart mobile device. It is quite
impressively that the mobile applications have changed the way people view content.
Nowadays, every niche entertainment and news are available online. In modern times, it is
correct to build mobile applications for lines of business (getmyappz_admin, 2018).

Besides that, during this pandemic, mobile learning played an important role in the
teaching process and showed great learning results. The pandemic caused by the coronavirus
disease (COVID-19) has affected the normal lives of people all over the world. Its effects range
from reducing a country's GDP to closing educational institutions. People have adopted new
strategies to recover their losses. Similarly, educational institutions have also come up with
different strategies and innovative ideas to cover up students' academic slack during the
epidemic. Due to the shutting down of educational institutions hinders face-to-face learning
and makes us think about alternatives to traditional classroom learning. Mobile learning has
become an effective learning model to replace traditional learning during the COVID-19
pandemic because of its high accessibility and usability. During the epidemic, mobile phones
played an important role in the teaching process. Most educational institutions began to provide
courses to students through online mode to avoid students' academic losses. While waiting for
the global pandemic to recover, online courses or e-learning have become an indispensable part
of the teaching process (Hemanta Nath, 2020). For example, University Science Malaysia uses
Webex application software to provide e-learning to their students during the epidemic. With
the rise of new technologies, the education industry is also upgrading its skills. This upgrade
will cost them at first, but it will pay off in the near future, and it will save a lot of marketing
and future upgrade costs. This is why most schools, colleges and universities have developed
their own educational applications (Makhija, n.d.). It can be said that, mobile application
indeed brought a huge benefit into education field.

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2.2 Mobile Healthcare Applications

Furthermore, according to Michael Georgiou, mobile healthcare applications are

revolutionizing the healthcare ecosystem by improving communication, efficiency, and service
quality. A report predicts that the total market size of the mobile health industry will reach
more than 60 billion US dollars by 2020. Healthcare applications are a boon for the medical
industry. Not only doctors and patients, but hospital staff and pharmacists can also benefit from
this technological miracle. The mobile healthcare application can be used for online
consultation, diagnosis, appointment and medical supplies delivery (Georgiou, 2019). Orth
olive stated that, there are more than 97,000 health and fitness apps available for download to
mobile or tablet devices. 52% of smartphone users collect health-related information on their
devices. 15% of 18–29-year-olds have installed health apps on their phones. The reason that
people are using healthcare apps is because they now pay more attention to health than before.
The number of users of mobile healthcare applications is increasing because it provides
information about health and helps manage their diet charts and daily needs. These healthcare
mobile apps are user-friendly and easy to access in busy schedules, which is why people use
mobile healthcare apps more (Prajapati, 2020). There are several benefits to healthcare
application development, especially during this pandemic. The healthcare mobile application
is regarded as a blessing to doctors, nurses, and other healthcare workers, and can update the
patient's symptoms and health status to the doctor. These applications can be designed to check
symptoms of discomfort and create reports. Based on the report, the doctor may make the
appropriate decision or even provide a prescription that can be accessed through the app.
Medical mobile apps can be used in rural areas or remote areas with limited medical facilities
nearby. Through the use of mobile applications, these areas can receive timely care. By
arranging video calls with doctors who provide digital prescriptions, most residents in remote
areas can get better care without going to the hospital. Since doctors monitor the health of
patients through smartphone apps, they can jointly avoid regular visits. In addition, users can
get important health tips through push notifications. From the increasing focus on patient-
centric healthcare services to the adoption of advanced technologies, several key factors are
expected to drive growth opportunities in the medical mobile industry. Several types of mobile
medical applications, such as pregnancy care and women’s health applications, are
downloading more and more, creating new and vibrant opportunities for medical care
application development. For example, Apple's CareKit framework is empowering the
healthcare industry, providing more opportunities for customized mobile application

19
development. Moreover, patient reports and prescription notes can be easily saved using cloud
facilities. Even medical staff can accurately store patient data and keep records. In addition,
waiting in line to pay for medical expenses has become a thing of the past. By integrating a
secure payment gateway into a healthcare mobile application, bill payment becomes easy. In
order to reduce the burden on medical staff and hospitals during the lockdown, the use of
healthcare mobile apps has been emphasized (Lal, 2020).

During this period of the rise of the pandemic, Malaysia has also launched a mobile
application called MySejahtera. Individuals can monitor their health through MySejahtera
during MCO. The MySejahtera app allows users to conduct personal health self-assessments,
and while doing so, enables the Ministry of Health (MOH) to obtain early information on their
status for further, fast and effective action. It also allows users to check the health of other
people living together. The app also provides the latest updates on Covid-19, recent health
facilities, health guidelines and various health-related information. The user's personal
information will only be used for the purpose of monitoring and preventing Covid-19 infection,
and will not be shared or provided to any other party (MPMA, 2020). Dr. Noor Azmi stated
that the MySejahtera data developed by KPISOFT is stored in Malaysia. KPISOFT is a
Malaysian analysis company headquartered in the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle
East. The Malaysian government did not pay 1 Sen to KPISOFT because the supplier provided
free services out of corporate social responsibility (Su-Lyn, 2020). It is strongly recommended
that the company encourage employees to download the MySejahtera application on their
mobile phones. MySejahtera will be one of the factors considered by the authorities when
inspecting companies or factories (MPMA, 2020). As the result, apps and mobile technologies
have brought significant benefits to healthcare providers and consumers, including improving
patient care by enhancing communication between professionals and between professionals
and patients, reducing the cost of healthcare delivery, and improving the education and
understanding allows patients to participate more in their own conditions, thus reducing the
need to go to hospital, making it easier for patients to obtain medical records, and making it
easier for healthcare professionals to obtain education and refresher training, providing home
or the choice of mobile work. The increasing popularity of iPhone, iPad and other similar smart
devices will make this even more obvious. New applications will also stand out (Moore, 2012).

After that, World Health Organization (WHO) aims to make mental health a global
development priority. Although 30% of the world’s non-fatal disease burden and 10% of the
overall disease burden are caused by mental disorders, mental health is often not as valued by

20
the authorities as physical health. In addition to causing a major disease burden, mental health
problems can also have a negative impact on the economy and production efficiency. It is
increasingly recognized that improving mental health should be a strategic goal for
international health care policy makers. Increasingly, the emphasis is on living well, preventing
problems and supplementing treatment services (Bijan Aryana). Smartphone-based mental
health applications represent a unique opportunity to expand the availability and quality of
mental health treatments. The number of mobile health (mHealth) applications that focus on
mental health is increasing rapidly; a 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) survey of
15,000 mobile health applications shows that 29% of applications focus on mental health
diagnosis, treatment or support. In addition, public health organizations such as the National
Health Service (NHS) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) in the United States
point out that mental health apps are a cost-effective and scalable solution to the mental health
treatment gap (Chandrashekar, 2020). Further, smartphones and other mobile devices have the
potential to significantly change the way we diagnose and prevent mental health problems, and
may make a positive contribution to early treatment. They can provide education and use games
to motivate people to improve. However, in order to advance the field, healthcare professionals
should incorporate them into their prevention and treatment plans and help their patients learn
how to use them. Therefore, it is essential that healthcare professionals receive training on how
to use digital solutions and develop the habit of selecting and testing applications that they find
useful. In a market as large as mobile health applications, applications can be selected to test
future patient recommendations based on the following three criteria: content brings science-
based information; the application is developed by a team of certified healthcare professionals;
the entire project first consider the needs of users (Sort, 2017).

2.3 Conclusion

As the result, mobile applications have great potential to provide effective mental health
interventions. Given the global shortage of psychiatrists and the lack of mental health care
services in rural areas, apps have become a viable tool to bridge the mental health treatment
gap. Technology is ready to change the way in which mental health treatment is provided and
obtained, but this transformation requires a comprehensive mobilization of science, regulation,
and design (Chandrashekar, 2020).

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 CHAPTER 3
METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

This chapter discussed about the methodology used in order to collect and analyze
research data. This research observes and analyze the effect on the use of mobile application
as a way to help users relieve stress by giving users a place to express their worries or ask
for help among students in USM.

3.2 Research Design

The study attempts to test the effectiveness of using mobile applications to enhancing the
communication between students and help them relieves stress, such as Calm application. The
study will determine whether this observation of mobile applications through mobile
applications can help optimize the communication between students and in order to help each
other. In addition, whether the study will increase students' enthusiasm for getting help instead
of suicide thought. This research will use online surveys to collect the required data and
information, which are considered appropriate ways to collect the required information to
achieve the research goals.

3.3 Research Method

The research methods used in this study is quantitative research methods. Qualitative
research is an explanatory method that attempts to gain insight into the specific meaning and
behavior experienced in a certain social phenomenon through the subjective experience of
participants (Cathryne Palmer, 2006). This research method is used to further understand the
research question and find the answer to the research question. The purpose of qualitative
research is to clarify and understand complex psychological problems, and it is the best way to
answer humanistic questions (Marshall, 1996). One of the common methods of qualitative
research is personal interviews. Interviews will help to obtain research-related opinions and
ideas from the perspective of professionals from different backgrounds. These professionals
include industry professionals and academics.

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 Quantitative research is the process of collecting and analyzing numerical data. It can
be used to find patterns and averages, make predictions, test causality, and generalize the results
to a wider population. Quantitative research is the opposite of qualitative research, which
involves collecting and analyzing non-digital data (Bhandari, 2021). This research method is
used to describe variables, examine the relationship between variables and determine the causal
relationship between variables. Quantitative research aims to test pre-determined hypotheses
and produce generalized results, suitable for obtaining answers to mechanical questions
(Marshall, 1996). In quantitative research, statistics help summarize information and data
collected in the form of graphs or charts. One of the most common ways to obtain statistics is
through surveys. In the survey, respondents asked based on a set of questions prepared on a
Google form. The survey was distributed to young people of different backgrounds. Then
tabulate their answers. This method is considered suitable for collecting data from respondents.

3.3.1 Subject Selection

The criteria of the subject that will test the effectiveness of the interactive mobile
application in enhancing the communication between therapist and their client are as follows:

i. Users are young adults between the ages of 19 – 35 years old.

ii. Users that are interested to seek help in USM.

iii. Users that are interested to enhance their therapy with mobile application.

All the above criteria are selected to test the research objective.

3.3.2 Data Collection and Analyzing

For qualitative research, one-on-one interviews with professionals are recorded in audio
format. The content of the interview will be transcribed and analyzed before use.

Google Form will be created for quantitative research in order to done the survey in this
study. Therefore, all collected data is displayed through automatically generated charts and
graphs. The data is carefully analyzed before use.

23
3.4 Sample

The selected target is young people between the ages of 19 and 35. This group of people is
better able to accept technological updates and is also among the people who can withstand all
aspects of society. This research will only be tested on USM's student.

3.5 Research Instrument

Questionnaire surveys were also used in this study. The content of the instrument is targeted
at the target audience. The questionnaire is designed to collect data from the target audience
about their demographics, their knowledge of mental health issues, and their preferences for
the applications which is intend to use for research. The questionnaire will be conducted
multiple times at different stages of the research. The first part is about mental health and
mobile applications in general. The second part pays more attention to the respondents'
opinions on USM Heart Talk applications.

Thus, the third part of the questionnaire is to collect feedback on the final product test. To
measure the effectiveness of the app, questions about the app will be asked in the questionnaire.
Feedback will be provided by target audience based on their experience interacting with the
application.

24
3.5.1 Interview and Feedback Form
Interview and Feedback Form

1. Gender
a. Male
b. Female

2. Age
a. 19 – 21
b. 22 – 24
c. 24 – 30
d. 31 and above

3. Race
a. Malay
b. Chinese
c. Indian
d. Others

4. State:
Part 1:

5. Do you ever suffer from any mental health issue?

a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

6. If (5.) yes, do you have any of the following problems?

a. Anxiety
b. Stress
c. Suicide thought

25
 d. Others: ____________________________

7. How do you deal with mental health issues?

a. Therapy
b. Keep it to yourself
c. Try talk to friends/family
d. Others

Part 2:

8. Do you think good communication with others importance on prevent mental health
issue?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

9. Do you think a platform let user to posting inner story anonymously is importance for
decrease mental health issue?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

10. Do you think comfort from others will help to decrease mental health issue?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

11. What colour do you think is more comfortable to relieve stress?

a. Blue
b. Yellow
c. Red
d. Green

26
 e. White
f. Black
g. Other

Part 3:

12. Does removing likes and comments from the app's homepage make users less anxious?
a. Yes
b. No
c. Maybe

13. Do you think the design is suitable for this app?

a. Yes
b. No

14. Do you think the theme colour using in this app is relax and comfort?
a. Yes
b. No

15. Do you the music suitable for Meditation of relax?

a. Yes
b. No

16. Will you consider this app as a new way for people that wanted seek help?

a. Yes
b. No

17. What else do you think can be added in the app to improve your satisfaction? Can you
briefly explain?

__________________________________________________________________

27
 Likert Scale

1 2 3 4 5
Strongly Disagree Neither agree Agree Strongly Agree
Disagree nor disagree
From a scale of 1 strongly disagree to 5 strongly agree.
1. Do you think that this apps are effective to help you to prevent mental health
problem?

1 2 3 4 5

2. Do you think that by using this apps will encourage you to seek help of your mental
problem?

1 2 3 4 5

3. Do you think the apps is practical and easy to use?

1 2 3 4 5

4. Would you like to see this apps to be used as a new medium to help with the student
who is suffering with mental health issue in the future?

1 2 3 4 5

28
3.6 Conclusion
In conclusion, it is obvious that using interview methods to collect the results and

feedback of this research is the most appropriate method. All the data collected will be analysed

and used as a practical method to increase the number of students who are willing to seek help

for their mental health problems. After analysing the feedback from the student's target

audience, the effectiveness of the mental health prevention application in healthcare and well-

being will also be tested and proven. This mental health prevention app will help USM students.

29
 Chapter 4

Design Development

4.1 Introduction

In this chapter, the process and development of the interactive mobile app will be
explained in detail.

4.2 Main Concept

The concept of the project is to use a mobile phone application as a communication medium
to prevent mental health issues. The program will combine chat and posting status to create an
interactive communication for students. In addition, meditation can help users relieve stress and gain
peace. To create this application, Java language and Android Studio are used to create this app. The
overall design uses blue and purple. Blue has proven effective in reducing anxiety, while purple is
the colour of USM.

4.3 Pre-Production
In the early stage of making this application, the layout of the application is drawn into
sketches. Along the process of developing this application, changes will constantly be made to
improve the quality of the application.

30
4.3.1 Sketch of Project

Figure 4.1

Figure 4.1 shows the user interface of the application. It included the sign-up page,
sign in page, welcome page, home page, sharing page, message page, chat page and
meditation page.

31
4.4 Production

For production part, the application will be developed based on the ideas made from
preproduction. The process of making this application included making of emulator based
on the contents from Android Studio coding for application, and mobile apk testing after
everything is compiled.

4.4.1 Android Studio Coding

In this stage, the application is coded using Android Studio with Java. This process
took the longest time to complete as the references to certain function that needed in this app
is limited. Besides, it is very complicated to declare and remember all the name of variable
and functions. Certain error happened during the process in order to cause whole coding file
failed to access. There is total 9 pages used to interact in this application. Figure 4.2 and
figure 4.3 below shows some samples of the codes in Android Studio.

Figure 4.2

32
 Figure 4.3

4.4.3 Projection Testing

After completing all the coding for application, everything is compiled in Android
Studio. After install the application in the emulator, the application is tested and the results is
recorded for further improvement. Figure 4.4 – figure 4.14 below shows the sample of
application during the testing.

33
Figure 4.4

Figure 4.5

34
Figure 4.6

Figure 4.7

35
Figure 4.8

Figure 4.9

36
Figure 4.10

Figure 4.11

37
Figure 4.12

Figure 4.13

38
Figure 4.14

39
4.5 Conclusion
As conclusion, this chapter has included all the process of making this application from the
pre-production stage until the completed stage. The biggest challenge in the making of this
application to work is coding part, it is very limited and the process of learning the codes is very
time consuming. The longest part is also the coding part compared to others.

40
 Chapter 5

Research Findings

5.1 Introduction
This chapter will explain and show the results from interviewing the respondents after
demonstrating the main function of the mobile application to them. Besides, there will is also data
from feedback form answered by USM student. Total of 20 students has participated in this mobile
application demonstration and have answered the feedback form. The data is then analysed. The
suggestions for this mobile application is also recorded for further improvement for the application.

5.2 Interview and feedback form

An interview and feedback form are prepared USM students to answer after demonstration
of the mobile application. The interview and feedback form are divided into 2 sections which consist
of interview questions and Likert scale. The data collected is then analysed and compiled into bar
chart and pie chart for reference.

5.2.1 Interview
For the interview questions, respondents are required to answer 18 questions which
consist of 1 short answer questions and 17 multiple choices questions. The results are shown
in charts below.

41
 5.2.1.1 Interview question for USM student

Chart 5.1
There are 20 respondents participated in this research and 60% are female and 40% are male
from USM student. The data above show the gender of the respondents. The gender of respondent is
taken as record to analyse the data in this research.

Chart 5.2
From the data above, results shows that these respondents participated in this research has
different age group. Which are 50% of respondents from age group 22 – 24, this age group
represented the largest proportion in this study.

42
 Chart 5.3
From the data above, results shows that the largest proportion respondents participated in
this research are Chinese, and the Malay is the least proportion.

State
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
State

Kedah Malacca Pahang Penang Perak Selangor Sabah Sarawak Sembilan

Chart 5.4
Chart 5.4 shows that from 20 respondents, there are 4 respondents from Penang state and also
4 respondents from Perak state. There are 1 respondent from Kedah, 1 respondent from Sabah and
also 1 respondent from Sarawak. Respondents from Pahang, Selangor and Sembilan are 2
respectively. Lastly, there are 3 respondents from Malacca.

43
 Chart 5.5
Chart 5.5 shows that 75% respondents ever suffer from mental health issues and 20%
respondents maybe suffer from mental health issue. There is only 1 respondent are not suffer from
mental health issue.

Chart 5.6
Chart 5.6 shows the type of mental health issues that the respondents may suffer from.
Majority of the respondents are suffering from stress and 10 respondents also suffer from anxiety.
There are only 2 respondents ever have suicide thought in their mind.

44
 Chart 5.7
Chart 5.7 shows how the respondent deal with their mental health issues. Most of them will
try to talk to friends or family members of their issues, which are 50% of respondent in this study.
On the other hand, the minority of respondent will look for mental therapy session, which are only 2
respondents in this study.

Chart 5.8
Chart 5.8 shows the respondent opinion on the importance of good communication with
others is important on prevent mental health issue. In this study, 85% of respondents think a good
communication with others is important on prevent mental health issue. There are 15% of respondent
think a good communication with others maybe will help to prevent mental health issue. In this case,
there are no respondent disagree with this statement.

45
 Chart 5.9
From chart 5.9, respondents’ opinion is equally divided into half. Half of them agree that
posting inner story anonymously is important for decrease mental health issue. And the other half of
respondents think it maybe will help.

Chart 5.10

From the chart above, 65% of respondents think comfort from others will help to
decrease mental health issue. Another 35% of respondents think it maybe will help.

46
 Chart 5.11
From the chart 5.11, the data have been collected in this study shows that the blue
color is the most comfortable to relieve stress. Which is the selection from 65% of
respondents in this study. On the other hand, only 1 respondent choose the green color is
more comfortable to relieve stress. In additions, there is 20% of respondents choose white
color and 10% of the respondent choose purple color is more comfortable to relieve stress.

5.2.2.1 Feedback Form

Chart 5.12
From chart 5.12, 75% of students which is 15 out of 20 students have agree on removing likes
and comments function from the app’s home page make them feel less anxious. Meanwhile, there are
25% of students which is 5 students within 20 students think it maybe make users feel less anxious.

47
 Chart 5.13

Chart 5.13 shows that majority of the students which is 90% for 18 students agree that the
design of this mobile application is suitable. Most of the students felt that this application will help
their calm down. At the same time, 2 students which is 10 % rated maybe on the design of this
application is suitable.

Chart 5.14
From chart 5.14, 100% of students which is 20 students have agreed on the theme colour that
have using in the application is relax and comfort. The colour that has been using in the app is blue,
purple and white colour.

48
 Chart 5.15
From chart 5.15, 100% of students which is 20 students have agreed on the music that have
using in the application for meditation is relax and suitable. There are total 3 songs have been using in
the app for meditation purpose.

Chart 5.16
According to chart 5.16, 95% of students are considering this app as a new way for people
that wanted seek help. Meanwhile, there are only 5 % of students which is only 1 person that disagree
and voted No on considering this app as a new way for people who wanted seek help.

49
 Chart 5.17
From this chart 5.17, minority of 5% which is 1 student rated 2 instead of 5 which is only
disagree for them to think this app are effective to help the student to prevent mental health
problem. On the other hand, 50% which is 10 students has rated agree for them to think that this
app is effective to help them to prevent mental health problem. 25% of the students stated that
they strongly agree that this app will help them to prevent the mental health problem. This is
because the content of this app is purposely design for user to relax and help each other.

Chart 5.18
From chart 5.18, 35% of students which is 7 students of 20 students that agree on they think
that by using this app will encourage them to seek help of their mental health problem. Meanwhile,
there are 30% students voted Neutral on this statement. There are also 30% of student voted

50
strongly agree that by using this app will encourage them to seek help of their mental health
problem. There are only 5% of 20 students which is only 1 student voted disagree that this app will
encourage the student to seek help for mental health problem.

Chart 5.19
From the chart 5.19, majority of students strongly agree that this app is practical and
easy to use, which is 70% from 20 students. On the other hand, there are 20% of students
agree that the app is practical and easy to use. There are also 10% of students voted Neutral
on this statement.

Chart 5.20
According to chart 5.20, 45% of students strongly agree that this apps to be used as a
new medium to help student who suffering with mental health issue in future. In additions,

51
25% of students agree on this statement and also 25% of students voted Neutral on that this
apps to be used as a new medium to help student who suffering with mental health issue. On
the other hand, there is only 1 student voted disagree on this statement.

52
 Chapter 6 Conclusion

As conclusion, all the objectives for this research have been achieved. By applying
interactive mobile application as a communication medium in order to prevent mental health
issue. This application does bring a lot of new experience to students. It’s because the like
and comment is removed inside this application, this helps to reduce the anxious of users.
Therefore, mental health issue gets to reduced. Besides that, students can help each other
inside the app.

Thus, the application of technology to the area of relaxation is very important for
this generation. With the rapid development of technology, more and more advanced
technologies and inventions are created every day. The field of education is also one of the
foundations of a country's progress. With that, the stress level of the students also increased.
Therefore, the mental health issues of students cannot be ignored, and it needs to be
balanced with each other to achieve the best learning effect.

53
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