Three-quarters of mental health disorders begin before the age of 24, however, only one out of every five of those youth receive mental health treatment. Technology has the potential to serve as a supplement or alternative to traditional mental health care, and in this study, we sought to uncover the preferences of youth (age 14-24). Previous research has shown that telemental health (TMH) resources are effective for screening as well as providing education and treatment to individuals who are struggling with depression, anxiety and/or suicidal ideations.
In this mixed-methods study, conducted from 2015-2017, we first used a series of online surveys to understand the perceptions of a diverse panel of experts. Results were used to guide the development of focus groups, which were conducted with mental health clinicians and educators, parents of youth, youth ages 14-18 and youth ages 19-24. In the final phase of the study, the perceptions of a general population of youth were assessed using two methods: interactive survey events at high schools and an online survey of college students. Technologies such as websites, mobile apps, social media, text messaging, online chat and video chat were explored, including resources provided: by licensed mental health professionals, by people trained to communicate with those with mental health needs, through peer support and for self-help (Figure 1).
We found that many teens and young adults in northeast Indiana are struggling with mental health and not currently receiving treatment, like many young people across the country. Most of our study participants were unaware of existing TMH resources but expressed a willingness to use the various types of technologies we presented. Positive perceptions about these resources open the door for TMH to be used as supplemental support in times of crisis or distress. Our findings can be used to guide the use of TMH solutions to target specific populations for effective and tailored care. Providing access to evidence-based resources that allow youth to discuss their issues informally, on their own time, mutually and anonymously may be promising routes for providing support for specific symptoms, stressors, or demographics among young people who need mental health interventions. Providers should view TMH resources as viable options for care support and should consider recommending use depending on patient needs. TMH resources, however, must not be viewed as a panacea for patient mental health care. These resources require additional research to determine how to appropriately recommend them to patients, especially for those in acute crisis.