Intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling and its predictors among students in University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia, 2023: Using modified unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model

Background: Psychosocial problems are widely affecting the population around the world and worsening in university students. Timely access to psychosocial counseling and support remained challenging. Hence, implementing a digital-based approach to psychosocial counseling services could potentially improve access and efficiency for students in need. However, limited evidence on the intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling and its predictors among university students in Ethiopia. This study aimed to assess the intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling and its predictors among students at the University of Gondar, Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on 759 students from 28 March until 28 April 2023 at the University of Gondar, Northwest, Ethiopia. Proportional allocation was done, and the participants were selected using stratified random sampling. The median score was used as a cutoff point. The student who scores median and above on intention to use construct was considered as intended to use digital-based psychosocial counseling otherwise unintended. The interviewer-administered questionnaire, adapted from the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model and kobo collect app, was employed to collect the data. Data were exported to SPSS 20 for descriptive analysis and Analysis of Moment and Structure version 23 for structural equation modeling analysis to assess the significance of relationships between variables using a path coefficient and a p-value of <0.05. Results: A total of 750 (98.8%) responded to complete all the questionnaires. The proportion of intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling was 54.9%, (95% CI: 51.3%-58.5%). A structural equation modeling shows that performance expectancy (beta = 0.510, p-value < 0.001), effort expectancy (beta = 0.082, p-value = 0.003), and social influence (beta = 0.307, p-value < 0.001) had a direct relationship with intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling. Gender (beta = 0.545, p-value < 0.001) was moderate performance expectancy. Conclusion and recommendation: The study has shown a promising intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling among university students. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence had a positive effect on the intention to use digital-based psychosocial counseling. Thus, the implementers need to give priority to enhancing and creating awareness for students related to how to use digital-based counseling.