Kent State University student life study: leveraging remote technology and institutional resources to improve health in 10,000 U.S. college students

This study protocol paper describes the rationale and methodology of the Kent State University Student Life Study (SLS). College students report psychological symptoms at much higher rates than prior decades, and available surveillance and interventional resources are limited. The SLS is designed to better understand undergraduate mental health and deliver smartphone-based interventions using precision medicine. The SLS is a longitudinal cohort investigation that will enroll 10,000 undergraduate students. It employs remote assessments at timed intervals, in vivo measurement using ambulatory tools, and annual cognitive and biological/health assessments. The project also leverages existing university data (e.g., Registrar, Health Services). Remote data collection continues when participants transition off campus. De-identified data will be available for researchers via a secure portal and findings will be publicly disseminated. The SLS will generate new insight into college mental health and treatment, as well as develop protocols for researcher–administration collaborations that promote student well-being.