The importance of mental health for Irish young people and the effects which it can play in their lives has, over the past number of years, become more visible in mainstream Irish media and culture. The reasons for this are self-evident. Dooley and Fitzgerald (2012) noted that “one in five young people experience some degree of emotional distress at any one time” and findings by Sullivan et al (2004) noted that 20% of adolescents revealed signs of possible depression. Despite this, relatively few Irish young people seek help. Studies such as Sullivan et al identified that only 17.8% of young people sought help from a professional. Dooley and Fitzgerald reported that, on average, 16% of young people aged between 12 and 25 identified themselves as having problems that needed help but did not seek it.
Sweeney et al (2011) identified 4 main elements as hindering help-seeking behaviour in Irish young people: “reluctance to discuss problems with a stranger, the cost of help-seeking, the shame associated with help-seeking and issues regarding confidentiality”. This is similar to findings by Sullivan et al, who identified that a stigma around help-seeking remains and there is a preference for self-management.
Correlated to these findings, Raviv et al (2000) identified that adolescents prefer to seek help from informal sources such as friends, family and the internet, a finding supported by the research of Dooley and Fitzgerald. Indeed, a report developed by the National Office for Suicide Prevention noted that: “‘The Internet’ is the single most preferred source of mental health information for young people in Ireland today.” (National Office for Suicide Prevention, 2012).
Following these findings, this paper examines the potential offered by smartphone applications in helping to educate Irish young people on mental health concepts and strategies, as well as their potential for helping manage and monitor one’s mental health. In particular, the use of such technologies is examined against the identified concerns which this demographic possess related to the stigma of mental health, as well as misgivings related to cost and privacy. The paper also presents on the development of a bespoke educational mental health application which has been piloted with Irish adolescents and professional therapists and the design and development considerations which are relevant to this, and similar future, applications.
Dooley, B. A., & Fitzgerald, A. (2012). My world survey: National study of youth mental health in Ireland. Headstrong and UCD School of Psychology.
Sullivan, C., Arensman, E., Keeley, H. S., Corcoran, P., & Perry, I. (2004). Young People’s Mental Health. A Report of the Findings from the Lifestyle and Coping Survey. National Suicide Research Foundation and Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, University College Cork.
Sweeney, L. (2011). Young Irish Male Perspectives on Depression and Peer Suicide (Doctoral dissertation, University College Dublin).
Raviv, A., Sills, R., Raviv, A., & Wilansky, P. (2000). Adolescents' help-seeking behaviour: The difference between self-and other-referral. Journal of adolescence, 23(6), 721-740.
National Office for Suicide Prevention. (2012). Annual report - National Office for Suicide Prevention. Dublin: National Office for Suicide Prevention.
Topics: Innovations and design in online & blended learning , Topics: Digital Identities & Literacies
