Digital Dialogues
Guidance for conversations on mental health and digital technology with young people
Publications
Below is a list of academic peer reviewed publications produced by the project team.
Developing good practice indicators to assist mental health practitioners to converse with young people about their online activities and impact on mental health
We conducted a Delphi study with 21 practitioners and 22 young people. A Delphi study engages experts to provide opinions and feedback on a topic through multiple rounds of questionnaires. Responses are collected, summarised, and shared for further rounds. This iterative process aims to reach an agreement amongst participants on the topic. The aim for this study was to establish Good Practice Indicators (GPIs) for discussing online activities in youth mental health consultations. Through three rounds of questionnaires, GPIs addressing who, when, what, and outcome of discussions were decided. These can be explored further on this website, here.
Digital Technology Use and Mental Health Consultations: Survey of the Views and Experiences of Clinicians and Young People
This survey of 99 clinicians and 320 young people revealed high levels of online use amongst young people, with both positive and negative effects. Negative experiences online were common, and linked to increased anxiety in the young people. Additionally, many young people were not routinely asked about digital habits during mental health assessments, indicating a need for better clinician training.
Mental Health Practitioners’ and Young People’s Experiences of Talking About Social Media During Mental Health Consultations: Qualitative Focus Group and Interview Study
This study used focus groups and interviews with young people and with practitioners to uncover barriers and current practices for talking about online use during mental health consultations. Everyone agreed that these discussions were important, but findings also revealed that practitioner confidence in having conversations on this topic varied. Young people were also sometimes reluctant to disclose their online experiences. These results highlighted the need for further practitioner training to safely support young people in navigating the challenges associated with the online world.