Psychoeducation in School-Based Mental Health: Youth and Caregiver Insights for a Digital App

Given the ongoing youth mental health crisis amid limited resources, young people and their families need sustainable, low-cost school-based interventions to support their wellbeing and connect them to vital services. As a first developmental phase of a clinical trial to integrate innovative digital mental health intervention into high schools, we first sought to understand the lived experience of students and parents. This study used qualitative methods to analyze diverse high school student, young adult, and parent reports of accessing in-person school-based mental health supports and use of health-related apps. Two-thirds of young people reported using health-related apps with common use related to entertainment, fitness, and mental health. Further qualitative analysis regarding access identified themes around availability, experience with services, and normalizing mental health vs. stigma in schools. Findings suggest opportunities for digital interventions to increase mental health literacy and address stigma through psychoeducation. Digital health tools may support schools as an adjunct to in-person services in reaching under-resourced students in need.