Apps to support the mental health of young people: flashy and available versus evidence-based and hidden?

laura-chouette-vhy5QcB3HIA-unsplash

Belinda Platt highlights a new review of mental health apps for young people, which finds there are many apps which seem appealing to young people but have no evidence-base, but only a handful of apps with a sound evidence-base which are available to young people.

[read the full story...]

Clinician-supported computerised CBT effective in US primary care, but what about digital exclusion?

glenn-carstens-peters-npxXWgQ33ZQ-unsplash

In her debut blog, Sue Brown explores an RCT from the US, which finds that computerised CBT was effective at treating depression in primary care patients, and was also beneficial to those with lower educational attainment, reading proficiency and incomes.

[read the full story...]

iCBT for depression and anxiety: putting theory into practice

Girl,Comforts,Her,Sad,Friend,Over,The,Phone.,Woman,Supports

In her debut blog, Bethany Williamson summarises a systematic review and meta-analysis on the effects of Internet-based Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (iCBT) in routine care for adults in treatment for depression and anxiety.

[read the full story...]

Digital mental health technologies: useful, usable, and safe?

ales-nesetril-Im7lZjxeLhg-unsplash

Cara Richardson and Stephanie Allan summarise a recent paper focusing on the growing field of digital psychiatry and the future of apps, social media, chatbots, and virtual reality.

[read the full story...]

When it comes to youth mental health, let’s focus on screen-use not screen-time

Featured

In her debut blog, Linda Kaye summarises a paper that presents a youth mental health research priority setting exercise, which finds that research should be focussing on screen use not screen time.

[read the full story...]

Can smartphone apps help female adolescents who self-harm?

Featured

Natalie Kashirsky summarises a qualitative study finding that young people think “smartphone apps are cool”, but possibly unhelpful for coping with self-harm.

[read the full story...]

What are the barriers and facilitators affecting engagement with digital mental health interventions?

Featured

Theo Kyriacou and Andie Ashdown blog about a systematic review that explores the barriers and facilitators to engagement with digital mental health interventions, which has some interesting findings for app developers and researchers.

[read the full story...]

Digital youth mental health interventions: will the evidence ever catch up?

Cinematic,Shot,Of,Happy,Teen,Girl,With,Down,Syndrome,Making

Robbie Fraser summarises an overview of systematic reviews, which finds that computerised CBT for anxiety and depression remains the best evidenced digital mental health intervention for young people.

[read the full story...]

As waiting lists grow for anxiety disorders, should we be turning to digital interventions?

Featured

Theo Kyriacou and Andie Ashdown explore a recent systematic review that brings together two decades of research, which suggests that digital health interventions for anxiety disorders may be a more effective alternative to inactive controls, such as waiting-list groups.

[read the full story...]

iCBT for depression: reflections from university students

evan-mach-bv0Qs8eh1I0-unsplash (1)

Sharon Eager summarises a qualitative study conducted with university students in South Africa who identify the pros and cons of iCBT for depression.

[read the full story...]