Digital Dialogues
Guidance for conversations on mental health and digital technology with young people
Background
Digital technology plays a big part in the everyday life of young people. It can have both a positive and a negative effect on them, with online activity being linked to poor mental health in children and adolescents. Despite that, there is very little guidance for mental health professionals on how to tackle this growing issue.
The guidance presented derived from a programme of engagement and research, carried our between 2021 and 2022.
Scoping survey findings
In 2021 we surveyed mental health practitioners (n = 99) and young people (n = 320) to better understand their views on how to support young people through conversations about their online activities and how these impact on their mental health. (Rifkin-Zybutz, Derges, Biddle et al. publication in prep)
93%
of child and adolescent mental health practitioners surveyed reported having no access to a protocol to guide discussion around online activities with young patients
73%
of practitioners believed exploring online use should form an essential part of risk assessment
68%
of young people surveyed agreed health and social care practitioners should contribute to ensuring the safety of young people online
Project collaborators
Lucy Biddle
Population Health Sciences (University of Bristol)
Raphael Rifkin-Zybutz
South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
Jane Derges
Population Health Sciences (University of Bristol)
Helen Bould
Centre for Academic Mental Health (University of Bristol)
Felicity Sedgewick
School of Education (University of Bristol)
Nicholas Turner
Population Health Sciences (University of Bristol)
Paul Moran
Centre for Academic Mental Health (University of Bristol)
Rachael Gooberman-Hill
Elizabeth Blackwell Institute (University of Bristol)
Myles-Jay Linton
Population Health Sciences (University of Bristol)
Funders and support
This research was funded by an MRC/AHRC/ESRC Adolescence, Mental Health And The Developing Mind Engagement Award. The work is supported by the Elizabeth Blackwell Institute, University of Bristol.
