Gibson Kerry, Trnka Susanna, Jonas Monique, Pomare Pikihuia, Thompson Shauney, Tiatia-Siau Jemaima, Aimiti Ma'ia'i KDee, Aoake Miriama, Bouttier-Esprit Thibaut, Spray Imogen, Vyas Sanchita
School of Psychology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Social Anthropology, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
Digit Health. 2024 Jul 25;10:20552076241260116. doi: 10.1177/20552076241260116. eCollection 2024 Jan-Dec.
With rising rates of mental health distress amongst youth during the COVID-19 pandemic, digital resources have been identified as a valuable tools for delivering support to young people. However, many of the websites and apps developed by professionals to support the youth do not take account of the importance young people place on exercising their own agency in managing their mental health. This article investigates how young people in Aotearoa New Zealand used digital resources to manage their mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The study gathered information from semi-structured interviews with 34 young people aged 16-22 years. The data was analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.
Six themes were identified including: searching for online information about mental health; evaluating digital mental health resources; controlling mood through online activity; looking for escape in the virtual world; staying connected online; and giving and receiving support.
Young people's practices demonstrated their investment in their own agency, a general reluctance to engage with professional resources and recognition of the need to balance the risks and benefits of the informal strategies they preferred. Young people appeared sceptical of professionally-designed mental health resources and interventions and preferred to adapt and re-purpose the wide range of platforms and networks available in their informal digital worlds.
在新冠疫情期间，青少年心理健康问题日益突出，数字资源已被视为为年轻人提供支持的宝贵工具。然而，许多专业人士开发的用于支持青少年的网站和应用程序并未考虑到年轻人在管理自身心理健康方面发挥自身能动性的重要性。本文调查了新西兰奥塔哥地区的年轻人在新冠疫情期间如何利用数字资源来满足他们的心理健康需求。
该研究通过对34名年龄在16至22岁之间的年轻人进行半结构化访谈收集信息。数据采用反思性主题分析法进行分析。
确定了六个主题，包括：搜索有关心理健康的在线信息；评估数字心理健康资源；通过在线活动控制情绪；在虚拟世界中寻求逃避；保持在线联系；以及给予和接受支持。
年轻人的行为表明他们对自身能动性的投入，普遍不愿使用专业资源，并认识到需要平衡他们所偏好的非正式策略的风险和益处。年轻人似乎对专业设计的心理健康资源和干预措施持怀疑态度，更倾向于在他们非正式的数字世界中利用各种可用的平台和网络并加以改造和重新利用。
