Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, School of Health in Social Science, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Greater Manchester Mental Health NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
BMC Psychiatry. 2024 Mar 28;24(1):237. doi: 10.1186/s12888-024-05605-6.
There is growing evidence that Technology Assisted Sexual Abuse (TASA) represents a serious problem for large numbers of children. To date, there are very few evidence-based interventions available to young people (YP) after they have been exposed to this form of abuse, and access to support services remains a challenge. Digital tools such as smartphones have the potential to increase access to mental health support and may provide an opportunity for YP to both manage their distress and reduce the possibility of further victimization. The current study explores the acceptability of a digital health intervention (DHI; the i-Minds app) which is a theory-driven, co-produced, mentalization-based DHI designed for YP aged 12-18 who have experienced TASA.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 15 YP recruited through Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre and an e-therapy provider who had access to the i-Minds app as part of a feasibility clinical trial. Interviews focused on the acceptability and usability of i-Minds and were coded to themes based on the Acceptability of Healthcare Interventions framework.
All participants found the i-Minds app acceptable. Many aspects of the app were seen as enjoyable and useful in helping YP understand their abuse, manage feelings, and change behavior. The app was seen as usable and easy to navigate, but for some participants the level of text was problematic and aspects of the content was, at times, emotionally distressing at times.
The i-Minds app is useful in the management of TASA and helping change some risk-related vulnerabilities. The app was designed, developed and evaluated with YP who had experienced TASA and this may account for the high levels of acceptability seen.
The trial was registered on the ISRCTN registry on the 12/04/2022 as i-Minds: a digital intervention for young people exposed to online sexual abuse (ISRCTN43130832).
越来越多的证据表明，技术辅助性虐待（TASA）对大量儿童来说是一个严重的问题。迄今为止，对于那些遭受这种形式虐待的年轻人（YP），几乎没有基于证据的干预措施，而且获得支持服务仍然是一个挑战。智能手机等数字工具有可能增加获得心理健康支持的机会，并为 YP 提供一种管理自己的痛苦和减少进一步受害的可能性的机会。目前的研究探讨了一种数字健康干预（DHI；i-Minds 应用程序）的可接受性，该应用程序是一种基于理论、共同制作、基于心理化的 DHI，专为经历过 TASA 的 12-18 岁的 YP 设计。
通过儿童和青少年心理健康服务、性侵犯转介中心和电子治疗提供商，对 15 名 YP 进行了半结构化访谈，他们可以访问 i-Minds 应用程序，作为一项可行性临床试验的一部分。访谈重点是 i-Minds 的可接受性和可用性，并根据医疗保健干预措施的可接受性框架进行主题编码。
所有参与者都认为 i-Minds 应用程序是可以接受的。应用程序的许多方面都被认为是令人愉快和有用的，可以帮助 YP 了解他们的虐待、管理情绪和改变行为。该应用程序被认为是可用且易于导航的，但对一些参与者来说，文本的水平是有问题的，内容的某些方面有时会令人感到情绪困扰。
i-Minds 应用程序在 TASA 的管理和帮助改变一些与风险相关的脆弱性方面是有用的。该应用程序是与经历过 TASA 的 YP 一起设计、开发和评估的，这可能解释了所看到的高度可接受性。
该试验于 2022 年 4 月 12 日在 ISRCTN 注册中心注册，名称为 i-Minds：一种针对遭受在线性虐待的年轻人的数字干预（ISRCTN43130832）。
