Educating Adolescents About Assessing Mental Health During Well Care Visits

Area of Science:

• Pediatric mental health
• Digital health education
• Adolescent well-being

Background:

• Rising pediatric mental illness rates, including suicide, highlight critical care gaps.
• Barriers like limited access, stigma, and poor education hinder adolescent mental health (MH) support.
• Pediatric primary care settings offer opportunities to address these MH challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create an age-appropriate virtual educational program for adolescents (12-18 years).
• To educate on the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) MH assessment tool used in primary care.
• To empower adolescents with knowledge for mental well-being and care engagement.

Main Methods:

• A clinician-authored slide deck was adapted into a 10-minute interactive module using Articulate Storyline®.
• The program was delivered via clinic tablets, employing backward design.
• Learning objectives focused on feelings literacy, PHQ-9 comprehension, early detection, and help-seeking efficacy.

Main Results:

• Formative feedback was gathered from four adolescent testers prior to full deployment.
• Testers suggested improvements including shorter text, replayable narration, and enhanced color contrast.
• The module was refined based on this initial user feedback.

Conclusions:

• The virtual program effectively bridges MH gaps by educating adolescents on mental well-being.
• Grounded in the PHQ-9 tool and instructional design, it empowers proactive engagement in care.
• This initiative supports early detection and improves adolescent mental healthcare access.