Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health最新文献

{"title":"Professional quality of life of child welfare workers and psychotherapists working with traumatized young unaccompanied refugees in Germany: a cross-sectional study.","authors":"Pia Maria Schwegler, Barbara Kasparik, Jonathan Thielemann, Rebekka Eilers, Elisa Pfeiffer, Cedric Sachser, Rita Rosner","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00942-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00942-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Burnout symptoms and secondary traumatic stress are especially high among Child Welfare Workers (CWWs) and psychotherapists and might have increased since the recent increase in refugee numbers. Little is known about the wellbeing of CWW and psychotherapists working with unaccompanied young refugees (UYR), especially in German child and youth welfare facilities where they work closely together. This study aims to assess levels of compassion satisfaction (CS), burnout (BO), and secondary traumatic stress (STS) in German CWWs and psychotherapists, examining connections to demographic variables and group differences.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>N = 198 CWW and N = 97 psychotherapists were assessed via the Professional Quality of Life Scale (ProQOL). Descriptive statistics, t-test for independent samples, correlations between the ProQOL scales and hierarchical regression analyses with demographic variables as predictors were computed.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Both samples showed average to high levels of CS, and low to average levels of BO and STS. CWWs scored significantly higher than psychotherapists on BO and STS. In CWW, demographic variables were not associated with CS, BO or STS. Among psychotherapists, previous experiences in working with UYR (β = 0.38; p <.001) were positively associated with CS. Factors such as weekly therapy sessions (β = - 0.35, p =.001) and the psychotherapist's migration background (β = - 0.20, p =.048) were negatively associated with STS. The number of PTSD cases treated (β = 0.27, p =.018) and additional training (β = 0.31, p =.006) were positively associated with STS.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Among psychotherapists, prior experience in working with UYRs may contribute to elevated levels of CS, whereas a higher number of previously treated PTSD cases appears to be associated with increased STS. Further research on the influence of sociodemographic variables is needed for CWWs to identify protective and risk factors. Supporting and training CWWs and psychotherapists is crucial for quality treatment of traumatized UYRs.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"77"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12261614/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144641919","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Social and individual factors associated with eating disorders risk among adolescents in secondary schools of Sicily (south-Italy).","authors":"Silvia Ruggieri, Rosalba Contentezza, Melania Casella, Achille Cernigliaro, Ilaria Cosentini, Gaspare Drago, Gianluca Lo Coco, Maria Rita Semola, Salvatore Gullo","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00940-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00940-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Eating disorders (EDs) are complex medical conditions that primarily affect adolescents. In Italy, EDs are becoming a serious health concern, but the lack of up-to-date epidemiological data makes it difficult to assess their real impact across the country. Early identification of risk factors is crucial for timely intervention. A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,740 students aged 14-16 years in Sicily. Data on socio-demographic factors, EDs behaviors, social media usage, body appreciation, and bullying were collected through an electronic questionnaire. Regression models were used to test the role of gender and interaction effects with key risk factors. Based on Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q) scores, 72.8% of participants were classified as \"not at risk\", 17.9% as \"at risk\" and 9.3% as \"at higher risk\" of developing EDs using gender-related cut-offs. Girls were overrepresented in the at-risk and higher-risk groups (p < 0.01). Analysis revealed that lower Body Appreciation Scale (BAS) scores, higher BMI, and body comparison on social media predicted higher EDE-Q scores (p < 0.01). Gender interacted with several risk factors, including body appreciation (ß = 0.30. p < 0.01), alcohol use (ß = - 0.14, p < 0.01), and the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic (ß = - 0.06, p < 0.05), with females showing stronger associations. This study highlights the increasing concern about EDs among Italian adolescents and emphasizes the need for targeted screening and early intervention. Understanding the interplay between gender, body image, and social behaviors is key to preventing EDs mitigating their long-term consequences.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"75"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257751/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636322","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Transdiagnostic body dissatisfaction: comparing adolescents with anorexia nervosa and depression during body exposure.","authors":"Valeska Stonawski, Lena Sasse, Laura Derks, Gunther H Moll, Oliver Kratz, Tanja Legenbauer, Stefanie Horndasch","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00939-9","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00939-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Body dissatisfaction (BD) is a risk factor for and a maintaining factor of Anorexia nervosa (AN). Furthermore, BD is associated with depressive symptoms. Body exposure (BE) was found to be an effective intervention for reducing BD. The current study aimed to investigate similarities and differences in BD between patients with AN and depressive symptoms and the efficacy of a computerized BE in those adolescents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We compared adolescents with AN (n = 36) to adolescents with depression and high body dissatisfaction (n = 21; DBD group). BD was assessed with questionnaires; valence ratings were obtained for different body parts. Emotion ratings and gaze patterns towards the own body were assessed during each session via rating scales and eye-tracking.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Satisfaction with several body parts increased and anxiety and disgust decreased throughout the intervention in both groups, with no significant differences between them. An attentional bias towards the three most unattractive body parts was found, expressed via longer viewing times; however, it was not modified by the BE intervention.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The similarities between adolescents with AN and highly body dissatisfied ones with depression in terms of BD, emotional reactions to and gaze patterns on one's own body suggest a transdiagnostic phenomenon of BD. The results suggest that a computer-based BE is an effective intervention for reducing BD.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>The study was pre-registered in the German Clinical Trials Register (Deutsches Register Klinischer Studien; DRKS), ID number DRKS00024675.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"76"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12257810/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144636323","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"ADHD, social skills and risky internet use among elementary school children.","authors":"Songül Derin, Serra Celik, Saliha B Selman","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00926-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00926-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies have established a link between Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and risky internet use (RIU); however, the processes underlying this association remain unclear. This study examines whether a proportion of the association between ADHD and RIU was shared with social skills.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>The sample included 142 children aged 6-12 years (65% female, M = 8.5, SD = 1.7), comprising 71 children diagnosed with ADHD and 71 controls without ADHD. Standardized assessments were administered to measure RIU and social skills. Path analysis was employed to evaluate the association among ADHD, social skills, and RIU. Key demographic variables, including gender, birth timing, age of speech onset, household income, parental education, and number of siblings, were controlled for in the analyses.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>An ADHD diagnosis was significantly associated with reduced social skills (β = - 1.68, p < 0.001), and reduced social skills was strongly linked to higher levels of RIU (β = - 0.57, p = 0.004). The direct association between ADHD and RIU was not statistically significant (β = - 0.52, p = 0.169). However, a significant indirect effect was observed, indicating that ADHD-RIU link was shared with reduced social skills (β = 0.96, p = 0.004).</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings indicate that a significant proportion of the association between ADHD and RIU was shared with social skills, emphasizing the importance of social skills as a potential factor for RIU risk in children with ADHD. Interventions that focus on enhancing social skills may support efforts to address RIU in this population.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"74"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12247434/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144607623","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Fatigue as a central bridge: temporal dynamics between problematic smartphone use and depressive symptoms in Chinese adolescents.","authors":"An'an Hu, Yan Zhang, Jiaxing Sun, Xiubin Wang, Misaki N Natsuaki, Nengzhi Jiang","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00937-x","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00937-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The prevalence of problematic smartphone use (PSU) has been increasing among adolescents in recent years, often co-occurring with depressive symptoms, which poses additional challenges to adolescent mental health. Despite growing concern, the mechanisms underlying the co-occurrence of PSU and depression remain poorly understood. To address this gap, the current study employed cross-lagged panel network analysis to investigate the temporal relationships between specific symptoms of PSU and depressive symptoms over time.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data were collected at three time points (T1, T2, and T3), with six-month intervals between each wave. Participants self-reported their levels of depressive symptoms and PSU. A total of 558 participants (52.5% male; mean age at T1 = 13.83, SD = 0.78) were included in the final analysis. Two cross-lagged panel networks were constructed to examine the bidirectional relationships between depressive symptoms and PSU from T1 to T2 and from T2 to T3.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In the T1-T2 network, Withdrawal from PSU and Fatigue from depressive symptoms not only emerged as the most influential symptoms but also acted as bridge symptoms linking the co-occurrence of these two mental health issues. In the T2-T3 network, the structure of network became denser, with the most influential symptoms primarily stemming from depressive symptoms, such as Sleep Disturbance and Feeling of Failure. Negative Life Consequences from PSU and Fatigue from depressive symptoms served as key bridge symptoms.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings provide valuable insights into the temporal dynamics underlying the co-occurrence of PSU and depressive symptoms during adolescence, with Fatigue appearing to play a significant role in linking these two mental health issues over time. Future studies should account for individual differences in how symptoms evolve over time and explore how these symptoms develop and persist at the individual level.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"73"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12228315/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144567146","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exploring client perspectives: a qualitative study on how families experience (blended) forensic outpatient systemic therapy for juvenile antisocial behavior.","authors":"S Marjolein van Cappellen, Hanneke E Creemers, Larissa Hoogsteder, Jessica J Asscher","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00935-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00935-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Interventions aimed at juveniles exhibiting challenging antisocial behavior often face motivation issues, high drop-out rates, and difficulties in achieving substantial and long-lasting effects. Gaining insight into how families experience these interventions may be a crucial step in obtaining more understanding of what does and does not work for clients in forensic youth care. The current study investigated the experiences of juveniles and caregivers with Forensic Outpatient Systemic Therapy (FAST), an intensive intervention aiming to reduce juvenile antisocial behavior. The study examined how juveniles and caregivers evaluated FAST in terms of the process of setting treatment goals, helpful components, points of improvement, their therapist, and a blended version of FAST (FASTb) that is partially offered online.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Semi-structured interviews were conducted after treatment termination with 24 participants from 16 families (9 juveniles, 15 caregivers) who participated in a randomized controlled trial or quasi-experimental study on the effectiveness of FAST. A purposive sampling method was used to yield a diverse sample and varied experiences. Thematic analysis was performed in three phases.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Treatment goals were generally set collaboratively and agreement was often achieved, but juveniles were not always involved in setting the treatment goals or in treatment in general. Evaluations of FAST's success were varied but generally positive. Most helpful treatment components were conversations with the therapist and, to caregivers, program specific components. Although most participants evaluated their therapist positively, some reported the need for more responsivity. FASTb increased treatment accessibility for some caregivers, but most participants preferred face-to-face appointments.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>This study provides insight into how FAST is perceived and factors influencing engagement, yielding several clinical implications for systemic treatment in forensic youth care. First, building a strong therapeutic alliance is important. Juveniles benefit from a kind, activity-based approach, whereas caregivers value therapist empathy. Given the severity of antisocial behavior in FAST's target group, initial safety interventions may be necessary before being able to invest in the therapeutic alliance. Second, therapists should persist in engaging juveniles, for instance, by incorporating (physical) activities. Third, blended care may improve accessibility. Therefore, it is important to discuss its potential with families throughout treatment.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"71"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12225379/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144559349","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the effects of a novel gamified cognitive training on adolescent mental health.","authors":"Karina Grunewald, Savannah Minihan, Jack L Andrews, Annabel Songco, Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, Anson Kai Chun Chau, Jaimee Fischer, Elaine Fox, Alba Bruggeman Nelissen, William Raffe, Matthew Richards, Aliza Werner-Seidler, Susanne Schweizer","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00917-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00917-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Adolescence is a time of increased emotional volatility, with emotion regulation still developing. Training the cognitive substrate of successful emotion regulation has been shown to benefit adolescents' mental health. However, cognitive training interventions often have low adherence rates in this age group. The current study therefore trialled a novel gamified cognitive training program in adolescents.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A longitudinal study was conducted throughout 2023 where 144 culturally diverse adolescents (13-16 years, 48% female) completed 12 days of either a novel gamified affective control training program, the Social Brain Train (SBT), or a standard non-gamified affective control training program (AffeCT). Participants also completed mental health and mechanisms of change questionnaires at baseline, post-training, and 1-month follow-up, as well as behavioural affective control and interpretation bias measures at baseline and post-training.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total minutes spent training did not differ significantly across the two training groups. Participants assigned to SBT training, however, did engage in more training sessions than participants assigned to AffeCT training. Additionally, all participants showed improvements in affective control performance and a reduction in interpretation bias and rumination from baseline to post-training. The observed reduction in rumination persisted at 1-month follow-up.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>As engagement is often the most difficult thing to achieve in cognitive training with adolescents, observing greater repeated engagement with the gamified cognitive training is promising, given training on these apps is entirely self-motivated. Observing benefits to affective and cognitive control performance as well as reduced interpretation bias and rumination tendencies after very limited training is promising, as these factors have all been previously linked to improved mental health symptoms among adolescents. The present findings therefore suggest there may be merit in using gamification techniques to improve the design of future training programs, and employing these to improve affective, cognitive, and emotion regulation abilities in adolescents.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"72"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-07-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12225106/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144559350","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety and problematic smartphone use among a sample of Syrian refugee adolescents: a network approach.","authors":"Onat Yetim, Lut Tamam, Ayşegül Efe, İlham Sebea Alleil, Resul Çakır","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00936-y","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00936-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Previous studies have demonstrated the existence of complex associations between stress, loneliness, depression, anxiety, and smartphone addiction in adolescents. However, the paucity of studies evaluating the relevant relationships in migrant adolescents demands the elimination of uncertainty in a sample of adolescents exposed to trauma and chronic stressors.</p><p><strong>Method: </strong>This study utilizes network analysis to identify the central factors and potential bridging paths among these variables. Identifying central symptom clusters contributing to the maintenance of the overall network provides potential targets for clinical or policy-level interventions. Network analysis also enables a more nuanced understanding of how internalizing symptoms and behavioral dysregulation co-occur and reinforce one another. Employing 836 Syrian refugee adolescents, we obtained a stable network of the above variables.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Our results revealed that problematic smartphone use (PSU) was the most central node in the network. Both generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and panic disorder also emerged as central nodes, reinforcing their transdiagnostic relevance. Bridge expected influence analysis revealed that stress, GAD, and PSU were key connectors between symptom domains.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings indicate that PSU may not simply be a byproduct of emotional problems but a key component of psychopathology in refugee adolescents. Notably, PSU exhibited strong partial correlations with GAD and social anxiety disorder, supporting prior research that links maladaptive smartphone use to emotional dysregulation and anxiety-related avoidance. Future research investigating protective factors, such as family support, peer support, and cultural integration, in the correlations between PSU and psychopathologies will lead to the development of effective interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"70"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12175421/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324552","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Changes in body dissatisfaction and dieting, and its association with mental health problems among Japanese eighth year adolescents: a 11-year time trend study.","authors":"Shoko Hamada, Hitoshi Kaneko, Masayoshi Ogura, Andre Sourander","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00934-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00934-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>This study examined the time trends of body dissatisfaction and dieting among Japanese adolescents and the possible associated mental health problems.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Two cross-sectional studies were conducted in 2011 and 2023 in the same 17 schools in one prefecture of Japan. Participants comprised 1865 (a 92.8% response rate) and 1174 (a 71.5% response rate) eighth grade students, who participated in the 2011 and 2023 surveys, respectively. Body dissatisfaction and dieting were assessed via a scale that assesses eating behavior and dieting. Mental health problems were assessed via the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ).</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The total score on items for eating behavior and dieting did not change between 2011 and 2023. Moreover, no significant interaction was observed between gender and years surveyed. The associated factors measured in the SDQ were similar in 2011 and 2023. An item-level analysis revealed an increase in score of items related to dieting, the fear of getting fat, and wanting to lose weight by not eating among male adolescents. Furthermore, among females, an increase was observed in items on experiences of losing weight and a decrease in items related to dissatisfaction with body image.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The extent of body dissatisfaction and dieting remained stable among Japanese adolescents from 2011 to 2023. Those who were dieting or had eating problems reported higher emotional problems. More males reported dieting and fear of getting fat in the 2023 survey than was reported in 2011. Future studies should conduct surveys in Asian countries other than Japan, including low- and middle-income countries.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"69"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12175348/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144324551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Navigating life transitions and mental wellbeing in the digital age: a call for stakeholders to embrace innovation and collaboration.","authors":"Jörg M Fegert, Götz Gottschalk, Renee Schneider, Emily Sitarski, Viknesh Sounderajah, Garth Graham","doi":"10.1186/s13034-025-00932-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s13034-025-00932-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Life transitions, such as adolescence, starting higher education or employment, and parenthood, are universally experienced yet psychologically demanding phases that can compromise mental health. While some transitions may promote positive growth, many transitions can also engender significant stress, which can potentially culminate in mental health difficulties and, in some unfortunate instances, psychopathology, especially when individuals lack adequate support. Traditional healthcare systems, already strained by increasing demands and limited resources, frequently offer inflexible, diagnostic-driven pathways with limited accessibility. Therefore, individuals, especially adolescents and emerging adults, have turned increasingly to non-traditional sources for mental health information and support. The internet, in particular, has become an indispensable resource for individuals seeking support around difficult life transitions, including the transition to adulthood. Multimedia content, especially videos, offers unique advantages: cultural sensitivity, peer-shared experiences, the ability to overcome language and literacy barriers and many more which are tailored to individual needs. Innovative content strategies, such as storytelling or expert interviews, can play a pivotal role in reducing the stigma associated with seeking mental health help during life transitions, which may, in turn, increase the likelihood for at-risk individuals to seek formal support if required, and can supplement traditional care with low-threshold information. However, the digital landscape is not without its inherent challenges, including misinformation. While there are frameworks to evaluate and promote credible, evidence-based health content online, there needs to be greater effort to ensure its frictionless integration into formal clinical pathways, when appropriate. To address the complex challenges and fully realize the benefits of digital media mental health care during life transitions, a coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach is essential: this includes collaboration between healthcare providers, policymakers, researchers, technology companies and content creators. We should prioritise developing culturally inclusive, engaging, evidence-based content; promoting digital literacy among users and providers; and expanding access to information, support, and self-management tools specifically designed for individuals navigating life's transitions. Investment in research and further advocacy for policies is necessary to ensure quality and sustainability of content as well as equitable access for a more resilient and mentally healthy society.</p>","PeriodicalId":9934,"journal":{"name":"Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health","volume":"19 1","pages":"67"},"PeriodicalIF":3.4,"publicationDate":"2025-06-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC12166554/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144293407","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}