This project explores the role of technology in mental health and psychological assessment to expand access, improve engagement, and enhance contextual relevance. ASRIA’s work includes a co-investigator role in the development of MDDSA.co.za, an online, open-access mental health screening platform designed for use in South Africa. The project also examines ethical considerations in technology-based assessment, including fairness, accessibility, data protection, and contextual validity. Other research investigates gamification in assessment as well as the use of mental health apps.
https://mddsa.co.za/not-sure-watch-this/Try the screening tool here
Publications
- Hassem, T. & Laher, S. (2026). Online screening of depression in South Africa. In S. Laher & K. Cockcroft (Ed’s.). Advances in Psychological Assessment in South Africa. Wits University Press
- Hassem, T., Laher, S. & Cockcroft, K. (2026). Ethics, technology and assessment. In S. Laher & K. Cockcroft (Ed’s.). Advances in Psychological Assessment in South Africa. Wits University Press
- Gama, B., Laher, S., & Alence, R. (2025, December 20). Exploring personality structure in South Africa: A text mining approach. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/8bnyf_v1
- Akoodie, Y., Laher, S., & Peral, S. (2025). Gamification and vocational assessments: A systematic review. African Journal of Career Development, 7(1), 9 pages. doi:https://doi.org/10.4102/ajcd.v7i1.167
- Gama, B. & Laher, S. (2023). Self-help: a Systematic Review if the Efficacy of Mental Health Apps for Low- and Middle-Income Communities. Journal of Technology in Behavioural Science, 9, 428-439.https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-023-00360-z
- Hassem, T., & Laher, S. (2022). Evaluating the Efficacy of Ethical Guidelines for Online Screening of Mental Health in South Africa. Frontiers in Psychology, 13, 875911. (WoS)
- Hassem, T. & Laher, S. (2022). The ethics of online screening for mental health in South Africa: A systematic review. International Journal of Mental Health, 51 (3), 218-234. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207411.2020.1802693 (WoS)
- Hassem, T. & Laher, S. (2019). A systematic review of online depression screening tools in South Africa. South African Journal of Psychiatry, 25, a1373
Researchers
