JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Childhood mental health issues affect 10-50% of children worldwide and represent major public health challenges. The lack of knowledge among parents and caregivers in this area hinders effective management. Empowering families enhances their ability to address their children’s difficulties, boosts health literacy, and promotes positive changes. However, seeking reliable mental health information remains challenging due to fear, stigma, and mistrust of the sources of information.

Objective:

This study evaluates the acceptance of a website, www.clepsy.fr, designed to provide reliable information and practical tools for families concerned about child mental health and parenting.

Methods:

This study examines user characteristics and assesses ease of use, usefulness, trustworthiness, and attitude towards using the website. Platform users were given access to a self-administered questionnaire by means of mailing lists, social networks and posters between May and July 2022.

Results:

Findings indicate the wide majority of responders agreed or somewhat agreed that the website facilitated discussions about mental health with professionals (83.3%, n = 264) or with their relatives (82.1%, n = 260). A significant effect was observed between frequency of use and educational level (F = 3.03; p<0.01) or with perceived trust (F=5.33, p<0.001) was observed.

Conclusions:

The study underscores the importance of user experience and design in online health information dissemination and emphasizes the need for accessible and evidence-based information. Although the study has limitations, it provides preliminary support for the acceptability and usefulness of the website. Future efforts should focus on inclusive co-construction with users, and on addressing information needs of families from diverse cultural and educational backgrounds.