A systematic review exploring how young people use online forums for support around mental health issues

3 important questions on A systematic review exploring how young people use online forums for support around mental health issues

Why do young people still use online forum to seek support aroung mental health issues?

1. They have grown up with this medium
2. Text-based resources are popular due to their perceived privacy

What are the opportunities for the use of forums by professionals? (3)

1. Providing stand-alone or complementary informational support (young people feel less judged)
2. Providing informational, emotional, and infomational support (the last is information that contributes to emotional well-being - normalizing and belonging).
3. Making use of the practical opportunities (accessible and affordable & safe and comfortable, help individuals reluctant to access service, less stigma)

What are the challenges for professionals regarding the use of online forums? (3)

1. Manage expectations of forum users (help to orient, inform about the amount of support, and confidentiality)
2. Ensure service user safety (unreliable information, inconsistent support, struggle to understand the limits of confidentiality)
3. Navigate the technical challenges (generic problems, up to date content, specific ethical issues)

The question on the page originate from the summary of the following study material:

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