Promoting Youth Mental Health via Text‐Messages: A New Zealand Feasibility Study

Abstract

This interactive e-health promotion strategy seemed to promote strong engagement and showed promising effectiveness with young people, with some challenges to feasibility due to the labor intensive nature of sending and responding to a large number of text-messages. The importance of carefully considering risk management strategies when developing such programs was also highlighted.

Universal and Selective Interventions to Prevent Poor Mental Health Outcomes in Young People: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…Studies reported (in descending order of frequency) on anxiety features (87 articles; 29.5%), affective symptoms (65 articles; 22.0%), other emotional and behavioral problems (62 articles; 21.0%), conduct problems (59 articles; 20.0%), general psychological distress (52 articles; 17.6%), alcohol use (42 articles; 14.2%), externalizing behaviors, (31 articles; 10.5%), tobacco use (32 articles; 10.8%), internalizing behaviors (25 articles; 8.5%), cannabis use (23 articles; 7.8%), ADHD features (21 articles; 7.1%), interpersonal violence (14 articles; 4.7%), eating-related problems (13 articles; 4.4%), consequences of alcohol use (12 articles; 4.1%), PTSD features (6 articles; 2.0%), sleep-related problems (6 articles; 2.0%), and impaired functioning (5 articles; 1.7%) (Supplemental Table 3, http://links.lww.com/HRP/A158). 44–133, 134–231, 232–332 …”

Digital tools for youth mental health

“…Text messaging is easily scalable and can work on nearly any mobile phones today—with youth willing to engaging around mental health text messages. 16 There is a rich legacy of web-based programs for youth mental health 17 and a stream of new tools using today’s social networking features. 18 Computer and video games are also receiving recognition as tools to improve mental health 19 and hold unique potential given their high rates of engagement.…”

Technology-Based Gratitude Interventions for Enhancing Mental Health and Well-Being in The Community

“…An experimental study conducted on promoting youth mental health via text messages on 136 older adolescents and young adults showed positive changes over the course of the program. 20 These changes were noticed in the subjects' general sense of gratitude, subjective well-being, and in the reduction of depressive symptoms. The results showed that those with higher levels of depressive symptoms in fact, benefited more from the gratitude program.…”