A recent study suggests that young people tend to lack trust in mental health apps on their phones, thus reducing the likelihood of intervention.
The study can be read in Health Policy and Technology.
The research stemmed from a questionnaire administered to 248 young people aged 17 to 25.
The result of the study suggests that the participants were mainly neutral towards the idea of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs). This is despite the fact that DMHIs have the potential to provide support for young people.
“Young people aged 17–25 were recruited online via advertising (e.g., Facebook, Twitter) to a survey assessing attitudes of technology acceptance and intentions to use DMHIs, previous use of DMHIs, demographics, and mental health need,” the study reads.
“Moderate levels of technology acceptance for mental health, particularly in domains of perceived usefulness and trust of DMHIs, may represent a barrier to DMHI adoption among young people.”
“Developers and service providers are recommended to provide information about the usefulness, effectiveness, and trustworthiness of DMHIs to improve uptake among young people.”
