Dataset Information

Involvement of Indigenous young people in the design and evaluation of digital mental health interventions: a scoping review protocol.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Indigenous young people worldwide are at greater risk of developing mental health concerns due to ongoing inequity and disadvantage. Digital mental health (dMH) interventions are identified as a potential approach to improving access to mental health treatment for Indigenous youth. Although involvement in the development and evaluation of dMH resources is widely recommended, there is limited evidence to guide engagement of Indigenous young people in these processes. This scoping review aims to examine the methods used to involve Indigenous young people in the development or evaluation of dMH interventions.

Methods

Articles published in English, involving Indigenous young people (aged 10-24 years) in the development or evaluation of dMH interventions, originating from Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the USA will be eligible for inclusion. PubMed, Scopus and EBSCOhost databases (Academic Search Premiere, Computer and Applied Science complete, CINAHL, MEDLINE, APA PsychArticles, Psychology and Behavioural Sciences collection, APA PsychInfo) will be searched to identify eligible articles (from January 1990 onwards). Infomit and Google Scholar (limited to 200 results) will be searched for grey literature. Two reviewers will independently screen citations, abstracts and full-text articles. Study methods, methodologies, dMH intervention details, participant information and engagement, and dissemination methods will be extracted, analysed (utilising content analysis), and qualitatively assessed for alignment with best practice ethical guidelines for undertaking Indigenous health research. A narrative summary of findings will be presented. Reporting will follow the Consolidated Criteria for Strengthening Reporting of Health Research involving Indigenous peoples (CONSIDER) and the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines.

Discussion

To date, there are no reviews which analyse engagement of Indigenous young people in the development and evaluation of dMH interventions. This review will appraise alignment of current practice with best practice guidelines to inform future research. It will highlight appropriate methods for the engagement of young people in study processes, providing guidance for health practitioners, policy makers, and researchers working in the field of Indigenous youth and dMH.

Systematic review registration

Open Science Framework ( osf.io/2nkc6 ).

SUBMITTER: Povey J

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8101167 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:BackgroundIndigenous young people worldwide possess unique protective factors that support wellbeing. However, they experience mental illness at higher rates than their non-indigenous counterparts. Digital mental health (dMH) resources can increase access to structured, timely, and culturally tailored mental health interventions by reducing structural and attitudinal barriers to accessing treatment. The involvement of Indigenous young people in dMH resource development is recommended, however, no guidelines exist on how this can best be facilitated.MethodsA scoping review examining processes to involve Indigenous young people in developing or evaluating dMH interventions was conducted. Studies reported between 1990 and 2023 involving Indigenous young people aged 12-24 years, originating from Canada, the USA, New Zealand, and Australia, in the development or evaluation of dMH interventions were eligible for inclusion. Following a three-step search process, four electronic databases were searched. Data were extracted, synthesized, and described under three categories: dMH intervention attributes, study design, and alignment with research best practice. Best practice recommendations for Indigenous research and participatory design principles derived from the literature were identified and synthesised. Included studies were assessed against these recommendations. Consultation with two Senior Indigenous Research Officers ensured Indigenous worldviews informed analysis.ResultsTwenty-four studies describing eleven dMH interventions met inclusion criteria. Studies included formative, design, pilot, and efficacy studies. Overall, most included studies demonstrated a high degree of Indigenous governance, capacity building, and community benefit. All studies adapted their research processes to ensure that local community protocols were followed and most aligned these within an Indigenous research paradigm. Formal agreements regarding existing and created intellectual property and implementation evaluations were rare. Outcomes were the primary focus of reporting, with limited detailed descriptions of governance and decision-making processes or strategies for managing predictable tensions between co-design stakeholders.ConclusionsThis study identified recommendations for undertaking participatory design with Indigenous young people and evaluated the current literature against these criteria. Common gaps were evident in the reporting of study processes. Consistent, in-depth reporting is needed to allow assessment of approaches for this hard-to-reach population. An emergent framework, informed by our findings, for guiding the involvement of Indigenous young people in the design and evaluation of dMH tools is presented.Trial registrationAvailable via osf.io/2nkc6.

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Project description:BACKGROUND:There is a high prevalence of children and young people (CYP) experiencing mental health (MH) problems. Owing to accessibility, affordability, and scalability, an increasing number of digital health interventions (DHIs) have been developed and incorporated into MH treatment. Studies have shown the potential of DHIs to improve MH outcomes. However, the modes of delivery used to engage CYP in digital MH interventions may differ, with implications for the extent to which findings pertain to the level of engagement with the DHI. Knowledge of the various modalities could aid in the development of interventions that are acceptable and feasible. OBJECTIVE:This review aimed to (1) identify modes of delivery used in CYP digital MH interventions, (2) explore influencing factors to usage and implementation, and (3) investigate ways in which the interventions have been evaluated and whether CYP engage in DHIs. METHODS:A literature search was performed in the Cochrane Library, Excerpta Medica dataBASE (EMBASE), Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), and PsycINFO databases using 3 key concepts "child and adolescent mental health," "digital intervention," and "engagement." Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines were followed using rigorous inclusion criteria and screening by at least two reviewers. The selected articles were assessed for quality using the mixed methods appraisal tool, and data were extracted to address the review aims. Data aggregation and synthesis were conducted and presented as descriptive numerical summaries and a narrative synthesis, respectively. RESULTS:This study identified 6 modes of delivery from 83 articles and 71 interventions for engaging CYP: (1) websites, (2) games and computer-assisted programs, (3) apps, (4) robots and digital devices, (5) virtual reality, and (6) mobile text messaging. Overall, 2 themes emerged highlighting intervention-specific and person-specific barriers and facilitators to CYP's engagement. These themes encompassed factors such as suitability, usability, and acceptability of the DHIs and motivation, capability, and opportunity for the CYP using DHIs. The literature highlighted that CYP prefer DHIs with features such as videos, limited text, ability to personalize, ability to connect with others, and options to receive text message reminders. The findings of this review suggest a high average retention rate of 79% in studies involving various DHIs. CONCLUSIONS:The development of DHIs is increasing and may be of interest to CYP, particularly in the area of MH treatment. With continuous technological advancements, it is important to know which modalities may increase engagement and help CYP who are facing MH problems. This review identified the existing modalities and highlighted the influencing factors from the perspective of CYP. This knowledge provides information that can be used to design and evaluate new interventions and offers important theoretical insights into how and why CYP engage in DHIs.