An Integrative Literature Review to Explore Digital Wellness Practices in Higher Education Online Course Design

Abstract

This integrative literature review examines factors affecting the digital wellness of online learners in higher education and evaluates how those factors align with Vanden Abeele's (2021) dynamic systems model of digital wellbeing. Drawing on a corpus of 42 peer-reviewed articles identified through a systematic search of five multidisciplinary databases, the review addresses two research questions: what factors affect the digital wellness of online learners in higher education, and how do those factors align with Vanden Abeele's guidance on strategies and considerations for digital wellness research? Inductive thematic analysis revealed five interacting themes, all of which can affect learner digital wellbeing: Learner Internal Factors, Technology-Specific Factors, Design and Pedagogical Factors, Learner Action, and Structural and Institutional Factors. These themes do not operate in isolation; rather, they constitute a dynamic system in which design decisions, institutional structures, and individual learner characteristics interact to shape digital wellness outcomes. The corpus showed meaningful gaps when compared to Vanden Abeele's (2021) considerations: more than half of studies failed to acknowledge the hedonic and eudaimonic potential of technology use, and 34 of 42 studies employed single-timepoint data collection, representing a significant methodological shortfall given Vanden Abeele's emphasis on temporal variability. Practical implications for instructional designers, faculty, and institutional leaders are discussed, along with recommendations for longitudinal and systems-level research.