Digital Single-Session Interventions for Youth Mental Health

Abstract

The mental healthcare system is overburdened and incapable of meeting the current need for services. This need-to-access gap is unlikely to be filled by dominant treatment delivery models, which often require multiple sessions of face-to-face therapy delivered by highly trained professionals. In this chapter, we overview how digital, self-administered single-session interventions (SSIs) can serve as a tool to help narrow the treatment gap and increase accessibility of evidence-based care. We review the state of the evidence on digital SSIs for youths and young adults and highlight trends among effective interventions. Lastly, we conclude with a discussion on maximizing the scalability and accessibility of digital SSIs.