Pilot evaluation to assess the effectiveness of youth peer community support via the Kooth online mental wellbeing website.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Mental health problems among young people are of growing concern globally. UK adolescent mental health services are increasingly restricted to those with the most severe needs. Many young people turn to the internet for advice and support, but little is known about the effectiveness, and potential harms, of online support. Kooth is a widely-used, anonymised and moderated online platform offering access to professional and peer support. This pilot evaluation sought to assess changes in the wellbeing and mental health of Kooth users, and changes in their use of formal services, over one month. We explored how community aspects of the site were used, and we considered the economic implications for commissioners making Kooth available to young people.

Methods

We surve

SUBMITTER: Stevens M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9555699 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature