Brain & Mind Research Institute, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, NSW 2050, Australia.
BMC Psychiatry. 2013 Apr 20;13:119. doi: 10.1186/1471-244X-13-119.
This mixed-methods study was designed to explore young Australian men's attitudes and behaviour in relation to mental health and technology use to inform the development of online mental health services for young men.
National online survey of 486 males (aged 16 to 24) and 17 focus groups involving 118 males (aged 16 to 24).
Young men are heavy users of technology, particularly when it comes to entertainment and connecting with friends, but they are also using technology for finding information and support. The focus group data suggested that young men would be less likely to seek professional help for themselves, citing a preference for self-help and action-oriented strategies instead. Most survey participants reported that they have sought help for a problem online and were satisfied with the help they received. Focus group participants identified potential strategies for how technology could be used to overcome the barriers to help-seeking for young men.
The key challenge for online mental health services is to design interventions specifically for young men that are action-based, focus on shifting behaviour and stigma, and are not simply about increasing mental health knowledge. Furthermore, such interventions should be user-driven, informed by young men's views and everyday technology practices, and leverage the influence of peers.
本混合方法研究旨在探索澳大利亚年轻男性在心理健康和技术使用方面的态度和行为，为年轻男性的在线心理健康服务的开发提供信息。
对 486 名男性（年龄在 16 至 24 岁之间）和 17 个焦点小组（涉及 118 名男性，年龄在 16 至 24 岁之间）进行了全国在线调查。
年轻男性是技术的重度使用者，尤其是在娱乐和与朋友联系方面，但他们也使用技术来查找信息和寻求支持。焦点小组数据表明，年轻男性不太可能为自己寻求专业帮助，而是更倾向于自助和采取行动导向的策略。大多数调查参与者报告说，他们曾在网上寻求过帮助，并对他们得到的帮助感到满意。焦点小组参与者确定了如何利用技术克服年轻男性寻求帮助的障碍的潜在策略。
在线心理健康服务的主要挑战是为年轻男性设计基于行动的干预措施，重点是改变行为和消除污名，而不仅仅是增加心理健康知识。此外，此类干预措施应基于用户需求，了解年轻男性的观点和日常技术实践，并利用同龄人的影响力。
