The conflict between need and fear: how privacy concerns moderate the influence of depression on university students’ acceptance of AI music therapy

The findings highlight a critical paradox in digital mental health: while depressive symptoms are positively associated with students' intention to seek AI-based help, privacy fears can significantly attenuate this association. For highly privacy-sensitive individuals, the need for therapeutic relief is overridden by the fear of surveillance. Consequently, developers and universities must prioritize "privacy by design" and transparent trust mechanisms, rather than relying solely on algorithmic precision, to ensure these tools can serve as effective emotional support for vulnerable students.