Cultural Understanding Analysis: The VirtualMente Mobile Booth for Addressing Anxiety and DepressionAbstract:Background: Depression and anxiety substantially affect functionality and quality of life, adversely affecting personal, social, and occupati

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Depression and anxiety substantially affect functionality and quality of life, adversely affecting personal, social, and occupational domains. </sec> <sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This study analyzed the cultural understanding of the VirtualMente Mobile Booth, a digital intervention designed to address anxiety and depression in rural youth, using a differential approach. </sec> <sec> <title>METHODS</title> A qualitative study with interpretive and cultural perspectives was conducted in three phases: (1) cultural understanding of the digital intervention, (2) semantic and cultural validation, and (3) expert consensus. Data were thematically coded and triangulated using ATLAS.ti. </sec> <sec> <title>RESULTS</title> The VirtualMente Mobile Booth intervention was implemented with 87 young people from rural and urban areas of Caldas, Colombia, with diverse profiles in gender, educational level, and life experience. Phase 1 revealed the emotional impact of the intervention, technological ignorance, and sociocultural stigma surrounding mental health. In Phase 2, the team identified semantic and conceptual difficulties in the standardized instruments. Phase 3 incorporated a review by health, technology, and management experts, enabling adaptation of language and content without affecting clinical validity and ensuring the comprehension and cultural relevance of the questions. </sec> <sec> <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> Digital mental health interventions require contextual adaptation and knowledge exchange to be effective. This study provides evidence and tools to improve, scale, and sustain such initiatives in culturally diverse contexts. </sec>