System-Level Tensions in Scaling Digital Mental Health: A Qualitative Study of STARS in Jordan.

Background

Adolescents and young adults in Jordan experience high levels of psychological distress amid persistent stigma, limited mental health literacy, and shortages of specialist services. Although task-shared interventions have expanded access, their dependence on in-person delivery and sustained human resources constrains scalability. Guided digital interventions may extend reach, but evidence regarding their system integration and sustainability in low- and middle-income countries remains limited. Purpose: This study explored how the WHO-developed Scalable Technology for Adolescents and youth to Reduce Stress (STARS), a non-generative, rule-based chatbot intervention supported by trained e-helpers, was experienced and implemented in Jordan. It also examined the system-level tensions shaping its potential for sustainable scale-up.

Methods

We conducted a qualitative multiple-case study nested within a randomized controlled trial of STARS in Jordan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 individuals, including STARS completers and non-completers, trained non-specialist e-helpers, a clinical supervisor, and policy and implementation stakeholders. Data were analyzed using a hybrid approach combining inductive thematic analysis with deductive coding informed by a system-innovation perspective and the culture-structure-practice framework.

Results

Participants described STARS as culturally resonant, accessible, and adaptable to everyday life. Four recurring system-level tensions emerged: individualized support versus standardized protocols; privacy and anonymity versus institutional and parental trust; non-specialist support versus expectations for professionally qualified providers; and innovation within research settings versus integration into routine service systems. These tensions reflected competing priorities shaping implementation and perceptions of sustainable scale-up.

Conclusions

STARS shows promise as a scalable guided digital mental health intervention for young people in Jordan. However, scale-up will require navigating recurring tensions across cultural, structural, and practice domains rather than addressing implementation barriers in isolation. This will require policy alignment, sustained investment in digital infrastructure and supervision, and cross-sector collaboration.