Implementing a Peer Advocate Mental Health Digital Intervention Program for Ohio Youth: Descriptive Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Digital mental health
• Adolescent psychology
• Peer support interventions

Background:

• Millions of US adolescents experience poor mental health, with 1 in 5 considering suicide.
• Reducing stigma and enhancing peer support are crucial for youth mental health.
• Digital mental health tools offer promising avenues for intervention, yet comprehensive program understanding is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate a piloted digital mental health training program (Be Present) for youth.
• To describe the program's impact on youth behavioral outcomes and user engagement.
• To identify high-risk youth during the early stages of prevention.

Main Methods:

• A pilot study enrolled Ohio residents (aged 14-22) as Friends or Peer Advocates.
• Participants completed Advocate training with pretest and posttest surveys measuring outcomes like self-efficacy and social support.
• Descriptive analyses assessed youth outcomes, engagement, and risk based on survey responses.

Main Results:

• 54 out of 65 adolescents completed the study; most were non-Hispanic White females.
• Significant increases were observed in self-reported referrals for mental health services and perceived social support.
• No significant changes were found in self-efficacy, knowledge, or sources of strength; engagement declined over time.

Conclusions:

• The digital peer support program shows potential for improving youth mental health outcomes and identifying at-risk individuals.
• Limitations include a small, non-representative sample and lack of a control group, necessitating further research.
• The pilot highlights the feasibility of online training for adolescent mental health and informs future program improvements.