Frontline professionals’ use of and attitudes towards technology to support interventions for adolescents with depression symptoms: A mixed methods survey

Maria E. Loades, Bethany Cliffe and Grace Perry 2024. Frontline professionals’ use of and attitudes towards technology to support interventions for adolescents with depression symptoms: A mixed methods survey. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry. 29 (3), pp. 1087-1099. https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231212523

TitleFrontline professionals’ use of and attitudes towards technology to support interventions for adolescents with depression symptoms: A mixed methods survey
TypeJournal article
AuthorsMaria E. Loades, Bethany Cliffe and Grace Perry
Abstract

Depression is common in adolescence, and subthreshold symptoms even more so. Untreated, it is disabling. Yet, upscaling traditional clinic-based provision would be prohibitively expensive. We aimed to investigate frontline, non-specialist professionals’ use of and attitudes towards technology to increase the availability of early help.
Method
Cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of professionals in the UK (N = 115, including low intensity practitioners, GPs, education staff, school nurses). The survey included rating scales and free text boxes. Quantitative data were analysed descriptively, and we used reflexive thematic analysis for the qualitative data.
Results
Frontline professionals rate their technological competence as good and have favourable attitudes towards using technology to support adolescents with depression symptoms. They rated online resources as most useful with mild-moderate symptoms, compared to severe symptoms (t(110) = 14.54, p < .001, Cohen’s d = 1.49). Technology was viewed as important to bridge the needs-access gap and professionals were interested in learning about online SSIs due to usefulness (r = .32, p < .001).
Conclusion
Technology, such as SSIs, are of interest to mental health professionals and may be useful for supporting adolescents with depression. Future research should explore the use of SSIs for treating adolescent depression.

JournalClinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Journal citation29 (3), pp. 1087-1099
ISSN1359-1045
1461-7021
Year2024
PublisherSAGE publications
Publisher's version
License
CC BY 4.0
File Access Level
Open (open metadata and files)
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231212523
Web address (URL)https://doi.org/10.1177/13591045231212523
Publication dates
PublishedJul 2024
Published online06 Nov 2023

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