Up to 25% of young people in Denmark report increasing levels of pressure, loneliness, sleep problems, and symptoms of stress, anxiety and depression. There is a huge unmet need for effective youth mental health promotion addressing transdiagnostic risk factors for mental ill health.
Online mental health interventions, such as those delivered via websites and apps, may offer the potential to overcome barriers to accessing mental health support for young people. Young people in Denmark and abroad are increasingly using the internet to access health information and support.
In-depth knowledge about the potential of online solutions to promote mental health and well-being among young people in Denmark is crucial for the development of effective first-level interventions for mental health problems, i.e., interventions that provide immediate help and guide users to the appropriate level of support.
Purpose
The Mindhelper Study has the overall aim of investigating the use, benefits, and effects of online mental health promotion services and Mindhelper.dk. The Mindhelper Study consist of two PhD projects with the following specific objective of their sub-studies:
The PhD study: The effects of online, unstructured mental health promotion on young people’s well-being, psychological functioning, and intentions to help-seeking.
- A systematic review assessing quantitative effect evaluations of online, unstructured mental health promotion targeting young people.
- An evaluation of the effect of Mindhelper.dk on young people’s well-being and psychological functioning.
- An evaluation of the effect of Mindhelper.dk on young people’s intentions to help-seeking.
The PhD Study: The Mindhelper Study – A qualitative study exploring the potential of online youth mental health promotion.
- To explore young people’s perceptions of an online mental health promotion service targeting young people, including the benefits and limitations of online mental health promotion.
- To explore how young people use and integrate information and self-help tools from Mindhelper.dk into their everyday life and coping strategies towards mental health and well-being.
- To explore methodologically how to qualitatively study online mental health promotion interventions.
Method
The first PhD study use questionnaire. Participants are recruited through social medias and randomised to either use of Mindhelper.dk (intervention group) or no information of Mindhelper.dk (control group). Data is self-reported, including demographic characteristics, use of Mindhelper.dk tools and validated scales of mental health and well-being. The effects of Mindhelper.dk are measured through surveys disseminated to the study participants after two weeks from randomization (T2), after six weeks (T3) and after three months (T4). The primary assessment of effect is conducted at T2.
In the second PhD study, qualitative data sources will be used in the form of document analysis and two different interview approaches respectively chat interviews and in-depth interviews. The PhD study will thus use different qualitative methods and include analysis by means of triangulation i.e., combining methodologies in the study of the same phenomenon.
Time period
PhD projects run from November 2022 and three years onwards. Results from the sub-studies will be published continuously.
Partnerships
The project is carried out in collaboration with Centre for Digital Psychiatry, The Region of Southern Denmark.
The project is funded by Trygfonden, Jaschafonden and Danish Regions (Fælles regionale pulje til forskning i forebyggelse)