Cultivating participatory processes in self-harm app development: A case-study and working methodology

Area of Science:

• Digital mental health
• Adolescent psychology
• Participatory research

Background:

• Rising rates of self-harm and suicide-related behaviors in young people highlight inadequate clinical support.
• Codesign processes and shared decision-making are crucial for improving adolescent self-harm assessment and management.
• The CaTS-App aims to foster collaborative understanding and support clinical decision-making for adolescent self-harm.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the participatory development of the CaTS-App, a digital tool for adolescent self-harm.
• To share processes for safe, engaging, ethical, and responsible co-creation of digital mental health tools.
• To provide practical insights for genuine participatory approaches in digital mental health.

Main Methods:

• Case study methodology focusing on participatory aspects of CaTS-App development.
• Involvement of diverse young people aged 17-24 with lived experience of self-harm.
• Co-production activities conducted over 48 months in face-to-face and online settings.

Main Results:

• Detailed narrative, tabular, and diagrammatic examples of participatory processes and activities.
• Discussion of the rationale behind methodological choices in co-development.
• A summary methodology to encourage further development of participatory approaches.

Conclusions:

• The paper offers valuable insights and practical details for implementing authentic participatory processes in digital mental health.
• Effective co-development requires careful consideration when working with vulnerable young populations.
• The CaTS-App's development exemplifies responsible and ethical participatory practice in digital mental health innovation.