JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Supporting Our Valued Adolescents (SOVA) is a moderated and anonymous social media website intervention. SOVA ambassadors are adolescents and young adults (AYA) asked to write monthly blog posts and comment on others’ posts on topics surrounding mental health.

Objective:

To understand the feasibility and acceptability of peer blogging for a moderated mental health intervention website, and explore whether bloggers - AYA who self-report symptoms of depression and anxiety - experience potential benefit.

Methods:

AYA ages 14-26 with self-reported history of depression or anxiety were recruited to the SOVA Peer Ambassador Program. Participants were asked to write one blog post a month and comment at least four times a month on other blog posts, for which they were compensated up to $15US monthly. Outcome variables measured at baseline and three months post-intervention included website usability and feasibility, depressive symptoms, anxiety symptoms, mental health treatment history, cybercoping, personal blogging style, self-esteem, loneliness, mental health stigma, social support, and positive youth development characteristics. Open-ended questions were asked about blogging acceptability and usability.

Results:

Of 66 adolescents and young adults showing interest and completing onboarding, 57 (86.4%) wrote at least one blog post, with an average of three posts per person. A sample of 34 (51.2%) participants completed a three-month survey for full analysis. Almost all 34 participants were satisfied with the experience of blogging (94%) and rated the website usability as good (80.1 (SD + 14.9). At three months, self-esteem scores increased by 2.1, with a small-medium effect size (P = 0.01, d = 0.45); and youth competence and confidence increased by 0.7 (P = 0.002) and 1.3 (P = 0.002), with medium effect sizes (d = 0.62, d=0.60), respectively.

Conclusions:

A blogging intervention for adolescents and young adults with a history of depression or anxiety was feasible with regular and active engagement, and shows evidence in a one-sample design for positive changes in strength-based assets – self-esteem, competence, and confidence - which map onto resilience.