Online mental health resources for adolescents: Overview of research and theory
Open accessAbstract
Adolescents use the Internet at higher rates than any other age group. The Internet therefore offers an obvious opportunity for the provision of mental health information for them. Little is known, however, about adolescent behaviour online, especially access of age-appropriate mental health resources. This review of the published literature examines theoretical and research studies to develop an understanding of adolescent mental health-seeking behaviour on the Internet. It is clear that adolescents do seek health information online, but little is known about its content, nature or mode of delivery. There appears to be no research specific to mental health resources for adolescents online.
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Adolescents spend more time online than any other age group.
“Moreover, adolescents spend more time online than any other age group, and so online interventions have the potential of being a well-received method, thus enhancing the delivery of mental health care within this adolescence [95].”
From Acceptance and commitment therapy as a transdiagnostic approach to adolescents with different anxiety disorders: study protocol. (2025) · cites this paper as [95]
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“Although it has been established that young people do seek online health information, little research has been conducted to identify the content, nature or mode of delivery of such material (Edwards-Hart & Chester, 2010).”
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“that ICT may improve access to and uptake of services due to young people’s familiarity with the Internet and other technologies (Blanchard, Metcalf, Degney, Herrman, & Burns, 2008; Edwards-Hart & Chester, 2010).”
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- Authors
- Edwards-Hart, T., & Chester, A.
- Affiliations
- RMIT University (AU)
- ORCID
- Chester, Andrea
- Venue
- Australian Psychologist
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2010-09-01
- Volume
- 45
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 223-230
- ISSN
- 0005-0067 (ISSN-L)
- 1742-9544
- OpenAlex
- W1987938175
- Cited by
- 29
- References
- 57
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2024: 3 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2021: 3 · 2020: 4 · 2018: 1 · 2017: 1 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 1 · 2014: 6 · 2012: 3
- FWCI
- 1.70
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Australian Psychologist (publishedVersion)
- RMIT Research Repository (RMIT University Library) (submittedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Health Professions › General Health Professions › Health Literacy and Information Accessibility
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- adolescent mental health, online mental health resources, mental health information seeking
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