Digital tools such as smartphone apps have significant potential to bridge gaps in care and support young people experiencing suicidal thoughts and behaviours, a new paper has found, highlighting the importance of guidance for clinicians and organisations to support their uptake.
The new study, led by Orygen and published in Health Expectations, explored how young people and clinicians use and perceive digital tools for the management of suicidal thoughts and/or self-harming behaviours, and what benefits and challenges they encountered.
One of the key benefits highlighted was the ability to reach young people who might be experiencing barriers to in-person support, or gaps in care.
Lead author, Orygen Research Fellow Dr Elise Carrotte, said that while many young people experience suicidal thoughts and behaviours, it’s estimated that fewer than half access support – and digital tools might help address this.
“For many young people it’s hard to access mental health services – due to cost, wait-times or location – and many experience stigma around suicide and self-harm, so having a digital tool available 24/7 can make a real difference,” Dr Carrotte said.
“We heard from young people and clinicians that digital tools can reduce barriers to in-person care, support young people between sessions with a clinician, and offer some unique features that help young people keep track of and self-manage their mental health.
“However, the study also highlighted challenges and inconsistencies in the integration of digital tools into suicide prevention – and these insights have important implications for organisations and individuals wanting to realise the full potential of these tools.”
Good user experience was highlighted as a key factor in whether or not digital tools were taken up and used by young people, with co-design identified as an essential part of developing effective and engaging supports.
“We also know that things like intuitive features, engaging visuals ad youth-friendly language are really important, as are ensuring strict confidentiality and data-security,” Dr Carrotte said.
“In order to embed good user experience into digital tools, we need to engage in genuine co-design with those who have lived experience of suicidal thoughts and behaviours, alongside clinicians, families, and developers.
“Not all digital tools are created equal, and we need to make sure platforms are designed with safety features in mind, like moderators and emergency support pathways, when recommending them to young people who may be struggling or in crisis.
“If we can get these features right, digital tools have a real potential to bridge gaps for those who need more support than just occasional sessions with a professional, reducing what one young person referred to as the ‘silence between sessions’.”
As part of Orygen’s work to ensure digital tools are safe and effective, the Suicide Prevention Research Unit has developed the first evidence-informed guidelines for integrating digital interventions into clinical care for young people who experience suicidal ideation and/or engage in suicide-related behaviour, developed in collaboration with young people, families and clinicians.
These guidelines address some of the opportunities and challenges highlighted in the latest study, and offer a way forward for integrating digital tools into clinical care for young people.