Alston, Olivia S. (2021) Digital applications to support recovery in youth: Mental health practitioners' perspectives. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
Mental health concerns in youth are a significant health issue, with 75% of all lifetime mental health disorders having their onset before age 25. Despite the prevalence of mental health issues, young people continue to have limited access to, and use of, mental health care. This is due to factors such as poor mental health literacy, stigma, and structural barriers including cost and availability of services. Mental health services are adopting a broader, more holistic view of recovery, moving away from a narrow focus on alleviating psychiatric symptoms and advocating for social functioning, wellbeing and self-management. Notions of recovery amongst youth with mental health concerns are relatively novel, with emerging research looking at ways to incorporate recovery-oriented care through digital and internet based applications and programs. Digital applications have been presented as a viable alternative to improve youth access to mental health services. This study used a focus group methodology to examine mental health practitioners’ views on how digital applications can promote recovery in youth. The results were analysed using deductive and inductive thematic analysis. Participants highlighted the importance of creating applications that are engaging for young people through emphasising shared lived experience, community and providing adaptive coping strategies. Participants discussed concerns around privacy, safety and duty of care for youth using the digital application and emphasised the need for monitoring and oversight. Participants also highlighted opportunities for integrating digital applications with traditional mental health services to promote recovery-oriented care. Further exploration of digital applications and recovery is warranted.
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| Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
|---|---|
| Item Status: | Live Archive |
| Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
| Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology and Counselling (1 Jan 2015 - 31 Dec 2021) |
| Supervisors: | Krishnamoorthy, Govind |
| Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
| Date Deposited: | 04 Jul 2025 00:55 |
| Last Modified: | 04 Jul 2025 01:04 |
| Uncontrolled Keywords: | youth; adolescent; mental health recovery; digital applications; recoveryoriented care |
| Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
| Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
| URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52109 |
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