Grounding digital mental health and wellbeing platform development in a theory of change: a convergent mixed methods approach.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mental health concerns among children and young people are rising, yet only a fraction receive the care they need. Digital mental health solutions can help bridge this gap, and recent years have seen a rapid proliferation of mental health applications. However, many lack a clear framework detailing how their activities lead to meaningful outcomes. A theory of change articulates these pathways, informing the development, implementation and evaluation of such technologies. Using a case illustration, this paper presents the practical application of developing a theory of change for a digital mental health intervention.

Methods

In 2024, Kooth Digital Health launched a digital mental health platform, Soluna, to all 13-to-25 year olds in California. Its development was

SUBMITTER: Cowling EP 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12603754 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature