Accepted for/Published in: JMIR Mental Health
Date Submitted: Jun 10, 2020
Date Accepted: Sep 9, 2020
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Evaluation of ReachOut.com, an Unstructured Digital Youth Mental Health Intervention: Prospective Cohort Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Young people experience a disproportionate burden associated with mental illness, that Australia’s mental health care system is ill-equipped to handle. Despite improvements in the provision of mental health services, the rates of service utilisation amongst young people remain suboptimal, and there are still considerable barriers to seeking help. Digital mental health services can overcome a number of barriers and connect young people to required support; however, the evidence base on digital interventions is limited.
Objective:
The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a brief, self-directed, unstructured digital intervention, ReachOut.com, in reducing depression, anxiety, stress, and risk of suicide.
Methods:
A cohort of 1638 ReachOut.com users participated in a 12 week longitudinal study. Participants completed online surveys, with outcome measures of mental health status and suicide risk assessed at three time points across the study period.
Results:
The results demonstrated that over the 12 week study period, young people using ReachOut.com experienced significant reductions in symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress. Significant reductions in the proportion of participants at high risk of suicide were also observed.
Conclusions:
These findings provide preliminary evidence of the effectiveness of an unstructured digital mental health intervention, ReachOut.com, in alleviating symptoms of mental ill-health and promoting wellbeing in young people
Citation
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