Adolescent Mental Health and Development in the Digital World
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Nottingham
Department Name: School of Medicine
Abstract
We will work with young people to use digital technology to transform adolescent mental health and provide a safe, and supportive, digital environment to tackle the unmet need arising from mental health disorders in those aged 10-24 years old. We are facing a youth mental health crisis; in the UK, one in eight young people have a mental health disorder, and one in four young women aged 17-19 have significant depression or anxiety with half of those having self-harmed; non-suicidal self-harm has nearly tripled over the past 10 years, while suicide rates per 100,000 adolescents have almost doubled. However, less than a third of all young people with mental health disorders receive any treatment. Many mental health and wellbeing apps exist, but most have no evidence base and some could even be harmful. Meanwhile, few research-based digital interventions have been shown to have impact in the real world. The youth mental health crisis has coincided with huge changes in society with creation of the 'digital environment' where being online and using social media has become central to young people's lives. While social media can be a helpful place for accessing information, exchanging views and receiving support, it has also been linked with depression, suicide and self-harm. Yet not all young people are at risk of mental health problems with social media we don't yet understand why some young people are more vulnerable than others. The COVID-19 crisis has been associated with increased mental health problems and greater online activity in young people. While their need to access trusted support online is greater than ever, social media platforms are not designed to meet mental health needs of young people.
Aims & objectives.
We will work with young people in our Young Person Advisory Group to:
1. increase understanding of the relationship between digital risk, resilience and adolescent mental health.
2. develop and evaluate preventative and personalised digital interventions.
We aim to:
- identify risk and resilience factors related to troublesome online experiences and activities, to prevent or reduce the emergence of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young people.
- understand how individual differences affect digital engagement (e.g. with social media and games) and adolescent brain and psychosocial development.
- build, adapt and pilot new a generation of personalised and adaptive digital interventions incorporating a mechanistic understanding of human support with a new digital platform for delivery and trials in adolescent mental health conditions.
- develop and test a novel socially assistive robot to help regulate difficult emotions with a focus on adolescents who self-harm.
- develop and test a new digital tool to help adolescents better manage impulsive and risky behaviour with a focus on reducing the risk of self-harm.
Applications & benefits.
This work will translate new knowledge into practical tools to support young people negotiate the digital world, develop resilience and protect their mental health. Our involvement of young people means that the outputs from the research will be suitable and meaningful. Young people will be actively involved shaping the research at all stages. Young people, their caregivers, teachers, clinicians and charities will benefit from a range of co-created apps and tools to manage youth mental health issues. Young people will benefit from research training offered as part of their involvement. Policy makers and academics will benefit from new understandings of risk and resilience in the digital world to support novel interventions and evidence-based policy. Our work will establish a new, ethical and responsible way of designing digital platforms and tools that supports young people's mental health. Our Mental Health & Digital Technology Policy Liaison Group and Partners Board will translate our research into a step-change in mental health outcomes.
Aims & objectives.
We will work with young people in our Young Person Advisory Group to:
1. increase understanding of the relationship between digital risk, resilience and adolescent mental health.
2. develop and evaluate preventative and personalised digital interventions.
We aim to:
- identify risk and resilience factors related to troublesome online experiences and activities, to prevent or reduce the emergence of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young people.
- understand how individual differences affect digital engagement (e.g. with social media and games) and adolescent brain and psychosocial development.
- build, adapt and pilot new a generation of personalised and adaptive digital interventions incorporating a mechanistic understanding of human support with a new digital platform for delivery and trials in adolescent mental health conditions.
- develop and test a novel socially assistive robot to help regulate difficult emotions with a focus on adolescents who self-harm.
- develop and test a new digital tool to help adolescents better manage impulsive and risky behaviour with a focus on reducing the risk of self-harm.
Applications & benefits.
This work will translate new knowledge into practical tools to support young people negotiate the digital world, develop resilience and protect their mental health. Our involvement of young people means that the outputs from the research will be suitable and meaningful. Young people will be actively involved shaping the research at all stages. Young people, their caregivers, teachers, clinicians and charities will benefit from a range of co-created apps and tools to manage youth mental health issues. Young people will benefit from research training offered as part of their involvement. Policy makers and academics will benefit from new understandings of risk and resilience in the digital world to support novel interventions and evidence-based policy. Our work will establish a new, ethical and responsible way of designing digital platforms and tools that supports young people's mental health. Our Mental Health & Digital Technology Policy Liaison Group and Partners Board will translate our research into a step-change in mental health outcomes.
Technical Summary
Objectives
We will work with young people in our Young Person Advisory group to:
- increase understanding of the relationship between digital risk, resilience and adolescent mental health
- develop and evaluate preventative and personalized digital interventions.
We aim to:
- identify risk and resilience factors related to troublesome online experiences and activities, to prevent or reduce the emergence of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young people.
- understand how individual differences, affect digital engagement (e.g. with social media and games) and adolescent brain and psychosocial development.
- build, adapt and pilot new a generation of personalized and adaptive digital interventions incorporating a mechanistic understanding of human support with a new digital platform for delivery and trials in adolescent mental health conditions.
- develop and test a novel socially assistive robot to help regulate difficult emotions with a focus on adolescents who self-harm.
- develop and test a new digital tool to help adolescents better manage impulsive and risky behaviour with a focus on reducing the risk of self-harm.
Methods to be used across the programme include; longitudinal analyses, quantitative multivariate and machine learning approaches, ecological momentary assessment, qualitative analyses, feasibility trials, mixed-methods process evaluation, user-centred co-production and human computer interaction methods. Planned, reciprocal linkages between work packages will enable cross-cutting themes on responsible innovation, impulsivity and emotion regulation to be investigated across disciplines and themes. Involvement work with young people shaped the bid and will occur at every stage of the research process.
Application and exploitation: Our Mental Health & Digital Technology Policy Liaison Group and Partners Board will ensure that our work is used in the real world to deliver a step-change in mental health outcomes for young people.
We will work with young people in our Young Person Advisory group to:
- increase understanding of the relationship between digital risk, resilience and adolescent mental health
- develop and evaluate preventative and personalized digital interventions.
We aim to:
- identify risk and resilience factors related to troublesome online experiences and activities, to prevent or reduce the emergence of depression, anxiety, and self-harm in young people.
- understand how individual differences, affect digital engagement (e.g. with social media and games) and adolescent brain and psychosocial development.
- build, adapt and pilot new a generation of personalized and adaptive digital interventions incorporating a mechanistic understanding of human support with a new digital platform for delivery and trials in adolescent mental health conditions.
- develop and test a novel socially assistive robot to help regulate difficult emotions with a focus on adolescents who self-harm.
- develop and test a new digital tool to help adolescents better manage impulsive and risky behaviour with a focus on reducing the risk of self-harm.
Methods to be used across the programme include; longitudinal analyses, quantitative multivariate and machine learning approaches, ecological momentary assessment, qualitative analyses, feasibility trials, mixed-methods process evaluation, user-centred co-production and human computer interaction methods. Planned, reciprocal linkages between work packages will enable cross-cutting themes on responsible innovation, impulsivity and emotion regulation to be investigated across disciplines and themes. Involvement work with young people shaped the bid and will occur at every stage of the research process.
Application and exploitation: Our Mental Health & Digital Technology Policy Liaison Group and Partners Board will ensure that our work is used in the real world to deliver a step-change in mental health outcomes for young people.
Organisations
- University of Nottingham (Lead Research Organisation, Project Partner)
- NIHR MindTech MedTech Co-operative (Collaboration)
- Health Data Research UK (Collaboration)
- Cardiff University (Collaboration)
- ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health (Collaboration)
- OPEN DATA INSTITUTE (Collaboration)
- Mental Health Research Network (Collaboration)
- University of Sussex (Collaboration)
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) (Collaboration)
- KING'S COLLEGE LONDON (Collaboration)
- MQ Mental Health Research (Collaboration)
- Kooth plc (Project Partner)
- Anna Freud Centre (Project Partner)
- Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust (Project Partner)
- Centre for Mental Health (Project Partner)
- NHS England and Improvement (Project Partner)
- Stanford University (Project Partner)
- University of Oxford (Project Partner)
- ProReal Ltd (Project Partner)
- Harmless (Project Partner)
- Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (Project Partner)
- eNurture Network (Project Partner)
- Young Minds Trust (YoungMinds) (Project Partner)
- Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (Project Partner)
- National Health Service (Project Partner)
- McPin Foundation (Project Partner)
- Bounce Black (Project Partner)
- VU Amsterdam (Project Partner)
- BFB Labs Ltd (Project Partner)
- Royal College of Psychiatrists (Project Partner)
- King's College London (Project Partner)
Publications
Valentine AZ
(2021)
Implementation of Telehealth Services to Assess, Monitor, and Treat Neurodevelopmental Disorders: Systematic Review.
in Journal of medical Internet research
Saul H
(2022)
Children with tics can be helped by a new online treatment.
in BMJ (Clinical research ed.)
Khan K
(2022)
Digital and remote behavioral therapies for treating tic disorders: Recent advances and next steps.
in Frontiers in psychiatry
Hollis C
(2022)
Youth mental health: risks and opportunities in the digital world.
in World psychiatry : official journal of the World Psychiatric Association (WPA)
Livingstone S
(2023)
Debate: Should academics collaborate with digital companies to improve young people's mental health?
in Child and adolescent mental health
Newbury, J.B.
(2023)
Socioenvironmental adversity and adolescent psychotic experiences: exploring potential mechanisms in a UK longitudinal cohort
in Schizophrenia Bulletin
| Description | AMS/ASSA 'Advancing multisectoral and life-course approaches in mental health research' report |
| Geographic Reach | Africa |
| Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
| Description | Chair MQ Transforming Mental Health Data Science meeting |
| Geographic Reach | Multiple continents/international |
| Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
| URL | https://www.mqmentalhealth.org/get-involved/events/ |
| Description | DATAMIND - A Mental Health Research Data Hub. |
| Amount | £2,031,434 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2021 |
| End | 08/2024 |
| Description | Landscaping to identify the most promising longitudinal datasets for depression, anxiety and psychosis research. |
| Amount | £493,972 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Wellcome Trust |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 09/2022 |
| End | 08/2023 |
| Description | Mental Health Leadership Fellowship - Renewal |
| Amount | £374,897 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Economic and Social Research Council |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 03/2020 |
| End | 02/2022 |
| Description | Public Engagement Seed Funding- Digital Youth (Adolescent Mental Health & Development in the Digital World) |
| Amount | £8,565 (GBP) |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 04/2023 |
| End | 08/2025 |
| Description | The time of their lives? Developing Concepts and Methods to Understand Loneliness in Students - Nicola Byrom PI |
| Amount | £108,788,030 (GBP) |
| Funding ID | MR_X002810_1 |
| Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Start | 11/2022 |
| End | 10/2025 |
| Title | Landscaping international longitudinal datasets website and list of datasets |
| Description | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. As part of this project, we identified more than 3,000 longitudinal datasets worldwide and we made the list freely available on our website. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The landscaping website was a successful way to engage with people outside the partnership and to share information with them. In February 2023, we recorded over 4,400 visits and more than 6,400 page views from people based in 76 different countries. |
| URL | https://www.landscaping-longitudinal-research.com/ |
| Title | Landscaping international longitudinal datasets website and list of datasets |
| Description | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. As part of this project, we landscaped more than 3,000 longitudinal datasets worldwide and we made that list freely available on our website. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The website was a successful way to engage with people outside the partnership and to share information with them. In February 2023, we recorded over 4,400 visits and more than 6,400 page views from people based in 76 different countries. Wellcome is interested is developing the website into a platform to increase the discoverability of longitudinal datasets. |
| URL | https://www.landscaping-longitudinal-research.com/ |
| Title | The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures |
| Description | The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures is designed to provide easy access to information about the mental health measures included in British cohort and longitudinal studies to maximise the uptake of existing data and facilitate mental health research. By providing details of the measures and studies, the catalogue serves as a resource for researchers 1) identifying datasets that include mental health and wellbeing measures; 2) planning harmonisation studies; 3) planning further data collection. The resource is also intended for researchers who may be less familiar with mental health or from other disciplines - demographers, economists, urbanist, linguists and others. To support these researchers, the catalogue also provides information about additional training and support for conducting longitudinal mental health research. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | Benefiting researchers and funders: Our new resource will be useful for as well as principal investigators and funding bodies. The Catalogue may be particularly useful for early career researchers utilising data that has already collected and researchers less familiar with the mental health field - but it may also hold some surprises for experienced mental health researchers! Easy access to detailed information: Longitudinal study designs are advantageous as they allow for closely examining patterns of change and the influence of earlier life circumstances on later outcomes, as well as providing insight into causal mechanisms and processes. The Catalogue provides mental health researchers with easy access to detailed information about thousands of valuable measures of mental health in over 30 UK cohort and longitudinal studies. The search engine gives users the opportunity to explore by study, mental health topic and symptom, as well as by standard instruments, such as the General Health Questionnaire. Researchers can use the catalogue to identify specific measures collected in a range of different longitudinal study types, including representative samples, birth cohorts, twin studies, ageing studies, and studies focusing on specific mental health problems. Researchers in the early stages of their career, who may not have the opportunity to collect new data first-hand, will find the Catalogue's focus on existing data particularly helpful. The Catalogue allows users to explore established studies, quickly access detailed information about the mental health measures they have collected, and thus potentially identify previously unknown resources of use for their research. |
| URL | https://www.cataloguementalhealth.ac.uk/ |
| Title | Landscaping International Longitudinal Datasets - 2022 |
| Description | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. As part of this project, we identified more than 3,000 longitudinal datasets worldwide and we made a list freely available online. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | The website was a successful way to engage with people outside the partnership and to share information with them. In February 2023, we recorded over 4,400 visits and more than 6,400 page views from people based in 76 different countries. Wellcome is interested in developing our website into a platform to increase the discoverability of longitudinal datasets. |
| URL | https://www.landscaping-longitudinal-research.com/ |
| Title | The ABCD Study |
| Description | The Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study® is the largest long-term study of brain development and child health in the United States. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded leading researchers in the fields of adolescent development and neuroscience to conduct this ambitious project. The ABCD Research Consortium consists of a Coordinating Center, a Data Analysis, Informatics & Resource Center, and 21 research sites across the country (see map), which have invited 11,880 children ages 9-10 to join the study. Researchers will track their biological and behavioral development through adolescence into young adulthood. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | One of the work packages on the Digital Youth Programme- Developing resilience to self-harm and suicidality in the digital world: the role of brain, psychology and the social world, is using the ABCD dataset to review psychosocial variables and they are currently analysing prevalence rates of self-harm/ suicidality using this data. |
| URL | https://abcdstudy.org/ |
| Title | The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures - 2019 |
| Description | The Catalogue of Mental Health Measures is designed to provide easy access to information about the mental health measures included in British cohort and longitudinal studies to maximise the uptake of existing data and facilitate mental health research. By providing details of the measures and studies, the Catalogue serves as a resource for researchers: - Identifying datasets that include mental health and wellbeing measures - Planning harmonisation studies - Planning further data collection. The resource is also intended for researchers who may be less familiar with mental health or from other disciplines - demographers, economists, urbanists, linguists, and others. To support these researchers, the catalogue also provides information about additional training and support for conducting longitudinal mental health research. |
| Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | Yes |
| Impact | To be added |
| URL | https://www.cataloguementalhealth.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH) - collaborator for Landscaping international longitudinal datasets project |
| Organisation | London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM) |
| Department | Centre of Global Mental Health (CGMH) |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Centre for Global Mental Health (CGMH) helped with identifying datasets from low- and middle-income countries and supported the dissemination of the project on social media. |
| Impact | We submitted our report to Wellcome in Feb |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Centre for Society and Mental Health |
| Organisation | ESRC Centre for Society and Mental Health |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Centre will improve our understanding of the complex interrelationships between society and mental health, create platforms enabling new collaborations between disciplines and with societal partners, and work closely with users, communities, practitioners, and policy makers to design and assess novel evidence-based strategies for prevention and intervention. I contribute to the population mental health platforms and discussions |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Centre contributes to the dissemination of the activities of the Mental Health Leadership Fellow |
| Impact | N/A |
| Start Year | 2019 |
| Description | Collaboration with Delosis.com |
| Organisation | King's College London |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | We worked with John Rogers at Delosis to develop the web platform for the Catalogue for Mental Health Measures |
| Collaborator Contribution | Delosis developed the Catalogue and currently maintains and updates the information to keep the tool up to date |
| Impact | The Catalogue for Mental Health Measures https://www.cataloguementalhealth.ac.uk/ |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | Health Data Research UK - collaborator for Landscaping International Longitudinal Datasets project |
| Organisation | Health Data Research UK |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Private |
| PI Contribution | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. |
| Collaborator Contribution | HDRUK mental health data hub - DATAMIND contributed to this project by helping to identify datasets outside academia. |
| Impact | We submitted our report to Wellcome in February 2023. This report is not publicly available yet. |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | MQ Mental Health Research - charity partner for Landscaping international longitudinal datasets project |
| Organisation | MQ Mental Health Research |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. MQ assisted with landscaping international studies and they led the planning and organisation of a Theory of Change workshop for ensuring a meaningful engagement with various stakeholders about possible enrichment of datasets. This workshop aimed at supporting the delivery of the report, particularly regarding the areas of enrichment. This workshop encouraged discussions with stakeholders about data and what is needed to create a step change in early intervention in anxiety, depression, and psychosis. We sought to hear about what can be achieved, and how. |
| Collaborator Contribution | MQ delivered a full report for the workshop and contributed to landscaping international studies by contacting their international partners. They also support the dissemination of the project. |
| Impact | We submitted the report to Wellcome in February 2023. This report is not publicly available yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | Mindtech Cooperative |
| Organisation | NIHR MindTech MedTech Co-operative |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | I am the Director of Mindtech. MindTech is a national centre focussing on the development, adoption and evaluation of new technologies for mental healthcare and dementia. We were established in 2013 and are funded by the National Institute for Healthcare Research to work in partnership with healthcare professionals, patients and the public, researchers and industry. |
| Collaborator Contribution | The Senior Programme manager on Mindtech, Dr Jennifer Martin, is a key support to the Digital Youth programme, including providing operational line-management to the Digital Youth Programme Manager. |
| Impact | As a result of this partnership, Digital Youth and our Young person's Advisory Group, Sprouting Minds, were invited to present at the 2022 Mindtech Symposium at the Royal College of Physicians in London. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Description | RCUK eNurture Network Plus |
| Organisation | University of Sussex |
| Department | School of Psychology Sussex |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | I'm a co-investigator on this RCUK-funded network plus, which focuses on promoting young people's mental health in a digital world. I am contributing to the strategy of this network and reviewing applications for research funding. |
| Collaborator Contribution | This network is led by the University of Sussex (Prof Gordon Harold) and they are responsible for the management of the award and all activities. |
| Impact | The enurture Network have organised a number of roadshows across the UK to publicise the network and have run two funding competitions to support novel research int this area. |
| Start Year | 2018 |
| Description | The Open Data Institute - Industry partner for Landscaping international longitudinal datasets project |
| Organisation | Open Data Institute |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. The Open Data Institute (ODI) is an independent not-for-profit institute which works with governments and organisations globally to build a world where data works for everyone. They have a proven track record of delivering world-renowned research and engagement projects addressing major health challenges with data, including Wellcome-funded mental health projects and initiatives with industry and government on data access. ODI led on landscaping longitudinal studies outside from the academic sector such as the NHS, government and industry. |
| Collaborator Contribution | ODI led on landscaping longitudinal studies outside from the academic sector such as the NHS, government and industry. They contributed approximately 250 longitudinal datasets to the pool of datasets we identified for this project. |
| Impact | We submitted our report to Wellcome in February 2023. This report is not publicly available yet |
| Start Year | 2022 |
| Description | UKRI Mental Health Networks |
| Organisation | Mental Health Research Network |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Learned Society |
| PI Contribution | In 2018, UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) funded 8 mental health research networks. These networks are formed of academics, clinicians, 3rd sector representatives and those with lived experience, amongst others. They tackle a variety of mental health research subjects, ranging from youth mental health to violence and abuse, to loneliness and social isolation. The networks embrace a collaborative ethos, bringing together researchers from a wide range of disciplines, including technology, health, medicine, biology, social sciences, humanities and environmental sciences. In autumn 2022, the Mental Health Research Matters team launched a digital conversation about why mental health research matters, what good mental health research looks like and how we can all get involved to make a difference. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I am Chair of the Network Advisory Group. |
| Impact | The Networks website lists all activities, outputs and outcomes. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health - SAB member |
| Organisation | Cardiff University |
| Department | Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | The Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health is a dedicated interdisciplinary research centre focusing on reducing anxiety and depression in young people. It uses research expertise to focus on understanding the causes of adolescent mental health problems that can inform new effective ways to offer practical help to young people. |
| Collaborator Contribution | I am a member of the Wolfson Centre for Young People's Mental Health Scientific Advisory Board |
| Impact | The centre's webite lists all ongoing activities, outputs and outcomes. |
| Start Year | 2021 |
| Title | Landscaping International Longitudinal Datasets |
| Description | We are a partnership of researchers, charities, and industry and lived experience experts funded by the Wellcome Trust to landscape longitudinal datasets with potential for transformative mental health research. A part pf this project we identified more than 3,000 longitudinal datasets worldwide and made a list freely available on our website. |
| Type Of Technology | Webtool/Application |
| Year Produced | 2022 |
| Open Source License? | Yes |
| Impact | The website was a successful way to engage with people outside the partnership and to share information with them. On February 2023, we recorded over 4,400 visits and more than 6,400 page views from people based in 76 different countries. Wellcome is interested in developing this website into a platform to increase the discoverability of longitudinal datasets. |
| URL | https://www.landscaping-longitudinal-research.com/ |
| Description | Blog - Arseneault 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Wrote a blog to launch a new project Landscaping international longitudinal datasets "Landscaping longitudinal datasets from across the world for creating a step change in early intervention in anxiety, depression and psychosis" |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.landscaping-longitudinal-research.com/blog/blog-la |
| Description | Digital Youth SPARX project presented at 11th Scientific Meeting for the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions/ISRII at Pittsburgh, USA |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Dr Camilla Babbage attended the International Society for Research on Internet Interventions (ISRII) 2022 conference in Pittsburgh, USA. ISRII is the largest international conference on internet interventions, with a strong focus on apps and online services to support mental health. The conference took place from 19-21 September 2022, with pre-conference workshops held the day before. It attracted researchers and digital health companies from countries across the world, with contributors from Argentina, Brazil, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Spain, Germany, Lithuania, Italy, the UK, Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, and the US, among others. Camilla's presentation looked at how stakeholders, such as educational and mental health professionals and young people, believe a serious self-help game for children and adolescents with low mood (SPARX) should be implemented in the UK, and considered where SPARX should be accessed, who should access SPARX, and if SPARX or serious games are acceptable to young people. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/digital-youth-researcher-attends-international-conference-on-digital-rese... |
| Description | Digital Youth Twitter account |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In November 2022 Digital Youth launched a Twitter account as a means of connecting with a wider audience base, and on an international level. Engagement with the programme via this platform has been positive so far. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/mrcdigitalyouth |
| Description | Digital Youth Website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | In November 2022 we launched the Digital Youth website, to coincide with our participation in UK Parliament Evidence week. The website has allowed us to increase our reach in terms of maximising publicity and engagement with the Digital Youth programme. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/ |
| Description | Digital Youth research presented at ESSSB19 Conference Copenhagen |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Initial findings from our Robots to support emotional regulation for young people at risk of self-harm study LGBTQ+ pilot was presented as an oral talk at the ESSSB19 in Copenhagen by Dr Amy Jess Williams. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://esssb19.org/ |
| Description | Formation of - and collaboration with - youth panel of adolescents aged 13-16. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | We recruited a total of 17 young people to form a young persons advisory panel for the project. These individuals are aged between 13 and 16 years of age and advise on topics such as the feasibility of the planned study, how best to assess digital engagement in young people, and what barriers to completing our research may exist. This youth panel assemble on a monthly/bi-monthly basis and we will continue to work with them on an ongoing basis for the duration of this research. Up to this point, their input has consisted of examining and critiquing research materials, recruitment plan, and understanding of how (and what) digital activities may affect mental well-being. Their input up to this point has refined or investigative tools so that we assess digital activity in the most relevant way for young people in our upcoming research project. We look forward to their future contributions to the DIORA project. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| Description | GatherTown Workshop by Ewan Soubutts |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | An evening event with the Youth group on the AMHDM project, looking at their involvement with responsible innovation on the project and how they could become active participants in RRI research studies happening too. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Invited Talk: Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge Nov 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Professor Ellen Townsend, Co-Lead on the Digital Youth Programme presented an overview of the programme including the CaTS-APP: A new digital tool to understand and support young people who self-harm to the Department of Psychiatry, University of Cambridge in Nov 2022. This was a hybrid event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=22o4ONeviRg |
| Description | Joint workshop: Crossing the Streams |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A day-long workshop to examine and unpack the differences between RRI and PPI |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Keynote presentation BPS Suicide Prevention UK Summit Sept 2022. |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Professor Ellen Townsend, Co-Lead on the Digital Youth Programme presented a keynote presentation at the BPS Suicide Prevention UK Summit Sept 2022.400+ attendees. 5K + signed up to access recording after the event. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.mentalhealthacademy.co.uk/documents/MHA-UK-SPS-Schedule-2022.pdf |
| Description | NIHR MindTech Symposium 2021 -Thursday 9th December |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | The NIHR MindTech Symposium was a virtual conference event in 2021 due to the ongoing Covid pandemic. This allowed the Symposium to reach audiences that would not have been able to attend had the meeting been in person with a delegate fee. The vitual meetind was free with registration only required. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.mindtech.org.uk/news-events/events/mindtech-symposium-2021-session-recordings |
| Description | NIHR Mindtech Symposium 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Mindtech 2022 saw a return to an in person event at The Royal College of Physicians in London following two years online due to the COVID pandemic, and was a celebration of MindTech's 10th birthday - a decade that has seen major changes in the ubiquity and acceptance of digital mental healthcare. MindTech2022 provided an opportunity to take stock on progress made and lessons learnt and also to take a forward view for digital mental health. Professor Tim Kendall, National Clinical Director for Mental Health, NHS England delivered our keynote and his address 'Digital Mental Health Therapies in the NHS - a new way forward?' reflected on the impact of the pandemic - both in terms of increasing demand for mental health services and the opportunities for digital solutions to close the treatment gap. We also showcased cutting-edge research including Digital Youth (Adolescent Mental Health and Development in the Digital World). The Digital Youth session was titled " Collaboration, co-creation and co-production for improved mental health in young people" and introduced the CaTS app, an online tool to understand and assess self-harm, Purrbles- socially assistive robots for young people with mental health difficulties, and SPARX- a serious online game for young people with low mood. The session was chaired by Digital Youth Co-Lead Prof Ellen Townsend. We also heard from Prof Ed Watkins on the results of the EcoWeb study, Dr Stefan Rennick- Egglestone on the NEON study and Dr Sinéad Lambe and the gameChange study team will present trial results, patient experiences and implementation prospects from the NIHR i4i gameChange VR study. The MindTech Symposium also provides a space to debate topical policy issues - and this year the MindTech2022 Debate focussed on the question of whether the NHS should out-source digital mental health services or provide digital tools 'in-house', supported by NHS staff, and embedded within existing NHS services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://www.mindtech.org.uk/news-events/events/upcoming-events/event/12-new-frontiers-for-digital-me... |
| Description | Newsletter article of Marina Jirotka in the University Bulletin and article on University website |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Marina Jirotka featured in a bio article / interview. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |
| URL | https://www.ox.ac.uk/news-and-events/oxford-people/Marina-Jirotka |
| Description | Newsletters for the Catalogue of Mental Health Measures |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A magazine, newsletter or online publication |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | To maintain contact with various stakeholders, we send newsletters every season. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021,2022,2023 |
| Description | Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity February 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Schools |
| Results and Impact | The Nottingham Festival of Science and Curiosity is annual festival which is all about showcasing a world of science and curiosity that's all around us every day. The festival is about inviting the people of Nottinghamshire to share not only what they know, but also what they would like to know; it's about celebrating curiosity, asking questions and taking a leading role in finding out the answers. The first week of the festival is while schools are still in session, and Dr Jess Williams who is working on our research theme 7 visited Nottingham College to introduce Digital Youth research and looked to create links with local education settings and with young people who may be interested in engaging with our research. The second week of the festival is while during the half term holidays, activities are based in community settings like libraries, museums and shopping centres so families can come along and explore a range of science activities. Dr Kareem Khan and Dr Jess Williams introduced the SPARX project (a serious online game for people with depression) and Purrbles (fluffy assitive robots for young people at risk of self-harm. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/mrcdigitalyouth/status/1622976120118210561 |
| Description | Oral presentation on digital iteration of CaTS delivered at the Early and Mid-Career Research Forum for Suicide and Self-Harm 2022 at the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Dr Camilla Babbage from Digital Youth work package 8 presented research into the CaTS app at the Early and Mid-Career Research Forum for Suicide and Self-Harm 2022 at the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/research/research-projects/cats-app-a-new-digital-tool-to-understand-and-... |
| Description | Poster presentation on foundational CaTS work delivered to the MRC Council's Senior team and Council members at a dissemination event at Birmingham University |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
| Results and Impact | Dr Joanna Lockwood and Dr Camilla Babbage (Research Project 8) https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/research/research-projects/cats-app-a-new-digital-tool-to-understand-and-support-young-people-who-self-harm/ were recently invited to Birmingham University by the Midland Innovation/Health Team to provide an update on their research to the Medical Research Council's (MRC) Senior team and Council members at a dissemination event. Council members were interested in understanding more about the CaTS tool and its potential for implementation. Jo and Camilla presented a poster detailing preliminary work on the development of CaTS from a paper tool to an online resource. The council were particularly interested in understanding how patient and public involvement (PPI) and collaborative work and co-production were integral to the project. Following the event, the MRC indicated that items raised during and as a result of the visit will be taken to their Executive Board for consideration in ongoing policy/strategy development. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/digital-youth-researchers-invited-to-share-their-work-on-self-harm/ |
| Description | Presentation ESRC Data Strategy group - Arseneault 2023 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Local |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Presented the Catalogue of Mental Health Measures to the ESRC Data Strategy Team in February 2023 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| Description | Presentation at Ann Freud Centre - Arseneault 2021 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | Anna Freud Centre Transformation Seminar Series. Social relationships and their impact on mental health and wellbeing. Online meeting. January 2021. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqEvDgRx5jY). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
| URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vqEvDgRx5jY |
| Description | Presentation at Gentofte Hospital - Arseneault 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | Regional |
| Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
| Results and Impact | Presented research findings at Gentofte Hospital Copenhagen in Denmark. Robust tests of the impact of childhood bullying victimization on mental health problems: Implications for policy, practice, and research Monday October 3rd 2022 |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Project meeting with a UK Government member |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Evening event with other members of the AMHDM project with a UK government member looking at how impact from the AMHDM project could be applied at a policy level within the UK government to improve mental health services. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| Description | Roundtable discussion with No.10 Downing Street Mar 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Members of Digital Youth including myself, Prof Ellen Townsend,, Prof Peter Fonagy our YPAG Co-Chairs Sarah Doherty and Lucy-Paige Willingham were invited by William Warr at No.10 Downing Street to attend a roundtable discussion around adolescent mental health in March 2022. Following the discussion, as a programme we worked on a 2-page document with policy recommendations which we submitted to William Warr in April 2022. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://digitalyouth.ac.uk/digital-youth-recommendations-for-improving-online-mental-health/ |
| Description | Sense about Science Evidence Week UK Parliament 14-18Nov 2022 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Digital Youth was invited by UKRI to take part in UK Parliament Evidence Week in Nov 2022. I travelled to Westminster with Nkem from our Sprouting Minds young persons' advisory group to speak to politicians and policymakers about the Digital Youth Programme and our research into the impact of the digital world on the mental health of young people. We spoke to MPs, including Nottingham South MP Lilian Greenwood, about the importance of our research. Evidence Week brings together MPs, Peers, parliamentary services, researchers, and people from different walks of life across the UK to talk about why evidence matters in policymaking |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
| URL | https://senseaboutscience.org/what-is-evidence-week/evidence-week-2022/ |
| Description | Visit to Digital Youth from Lilian Greenwood MP |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
| Results and Impact | Lilian Greenwood MP visited researchers from Digital Youth and Sprouting Minds, to learn more about our pioneering research into young people's mental health and wellbeing in a digital world. On Friday 3 March the director of the Institute of Mental Health, Professor Martin Orrell, welcomed Ms Greenwood, Labour MP for Nottingham South, to a round-table discussion, along with myself and Digital Youth co-lead Professor Ellen Townsend. The visit came after a meeting in November at UK Parliament's 'Evidence Week', where I introduced Ms Greenwood to our work. Also in attendance were Digital Youth researchers and members of our young people's advisory group Sprouting Minds. Dr Jo Lockwood led the session with a presentation about the impact of self harm on children and young adults, including her work on the CaTS-APP intervention. This was followed by an introduction to our Purrble project from Dr Amy Jess Williams, with everyone given the opportunity to experience Purrble, a small furry robot used to aid emotion regulation in young people who self harm. Ms Greenwood had the opportunity to question researchers and engaged in a lively and thought-provoking debate, taking an interest particularly in the perspectives of the younger voices in the room. She offered to support the team in taking our work further in Parliament, and we look forward to working with her in future and raising the profile of this vital area of research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
| URL | https://twitter.com/MindTech_Doc/status/1631696972338831360 |
| Description | Workshop for project team members to learn about RRI (Responsible Research and Innovation) in Nottingham |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A workshop session led within the AMHDM half-yearly Huddle event in Nottingham on Sep 22 where the RRI team from Oxford presented an overview of RRI within the project and engaged and supported other team members with how to consider RRI within their own research projects and use tools such as RRI prompt cards to inspire their own work. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |