Young people want to be able to talk openly with clinicians about their digital lives
Submitted by Zoë Haime
We conducted a survey with children and young people in the UK to understand how digital engagement affects their mental health, and how they think mental health practitioners should approach conversations about online use.
We found that young people were keen to explore both the positives and negatives of their digital lives with mental health practitioners and identified supportive techniques practitioners could use to make these conversations more productive, such as being non-judgemental and open to their internet activities. We explore how practitioners currently lack confidence in initiating discussions about online use with young people, and consider ways to address this, including improved training opportunities.
I’m a young person – what does this mean for me?
Your online life can have both positive and negative effects on your mental health, and it is something you should feel able to talk about with a mental health practitioner. These conversations should not only focus on the risks or harms of being online, but should give you space to discuss the positive, negative, and more complicated parts of your digital life. Our findings suggest that practitioners should approach these conversations with curiosity and without judgement, and work with you to understand what your online experiences mean for you.
I’m a parent - what does this mean for me?
Your child’s online life can be an important part of their world, with both positive and negative effects on their mental health. Our findings suggest that young people value having space to talk openly about their digital experiences without feeling judged or assuming that being online is necessarily a problem. Their mental health practitioners should be curious about what they do online, how it makes them feel, and what they value about it.
I’m a teacher - what does this mean for me?
Your students’ online lives can be an important part of their world, with both positive and negative effects on their mental health. Our findings suggest that young people value having space to talk openly about their digital experiences without feeling judged or assuming that being online is necessarily a problem. Teachers, as part of their wider support network, can help by being curious about young people’s online experiences, taking their concerns seriously, and encouraging them to talk about their digital lives when they need support.
I’m a clinician – what does this mean for me?
Young people want to talk about their online lives with you, including both the positive and negative ways that being online affects their mental health. Our findings suggest that these conversations should be approached with curiosity and without judgement, rather than assuming that online use is necessarily a problem. Asking open questions about what young people do online, how it makes them feel, and what they value about their digital lives can help you understand their experiences and provide more relevant support. Training and resources may also help you feel more confident initiating these conversations, so should be prioritised.