Technology Matters: Online, self-help single session interventions could expand current provision, improving early access to help for young people with depression symptoms, including minority groups

• Published in: Child and adolescent mental health 2023-11, Vol.28 (4), p.559-561
• Main Authors: Loades, Maria E, Schleider, Jessica L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adolescent; Depression - therapy; Ethnicity; Health Behavior; Humans; Mental depression; Mental Health Services; Minority Groups; Self help; United States
• ISSN: 1475-357X; 1475-3588
• DOI: 10.1111/camh.12659

Current mental health service provision for young people was primarily designed based on an assumption of repeat attendance to enable access to interventions. This applies to in-person therapy and, in recent years, digitally provided apps and programmes. Yet, discontinuation after only one or two attendances or uses is a common problem. However, there is a different model, which is intentionally designing provision without assuming repeat attendance, that is, single session interventions. Evidence from the United States, where a suite of digital, self-help single session interventions, accessible anonymously, have been designed, indicates that these are helpful to young people with reductions in depression symptoms at up to 9 months later. These interventions also have had better reach into currently underserved populations (e.g. LGBTQ+ and ethnic minority adolescents). Therefore, these may be a potentially helpful way to expand existing provision at scale, enabling all young people to access evidence-based help quickly.