Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32527236›Full record

SynthesisBMC psychiatry2020

What are the barriers, facilitators and interventions targeting help-seeking behaviours for common mental health problems in adolescents? A systematic review.

Antonia Aguirre Velasco, Ignacio Silva Santa Cruz, Jo Billings, Magdalena Jimenez, Sarah Rowe

2 registry-linked trialsAbstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in BMC psychiatry, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to 2 registered trials, which are not on this map. Cited by 313 papers, 15 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
313citing papers in PubMed, 15 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

NCT06473155 narecruitingnot on this mapstarted 2024, after this paper: background citation

Discovering Adolescents' Talents and Life Projects as a Key Factor in Their Life Satisfaction

TypeinterventionalSponsorCentre BesaiRan2024 to 2025Enrolled90ConditionsHealthy, Adolescent DevelopmentArmsExperimental: Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy and Identity Exploration (HIP+EYME), Experimental: Humanistic Integrative Psychotherapy, Identity, and Geniotype Exploration (HIP+EYME+GENIOTYPE)
NCT07366580 nanot yet recruitingnot on this mapstarted 2026, after this paper: background citation

TOUCHMinds: An RCT on Help-seeking for Adolescent Anxiety

TypeinterventionalSponsorAveiro UniversityRan2026 to 2028Enrolled96ConditionsAnxiety Symptoms, Anxiety DisordersArmsTOUCHminds - Web-Based Intervention
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

313 citing papers in PubMed, 15 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

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253 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Antonia Aguirre VelascoChild and Adolescent Mental Health Service, Children's Hospital Dr. Roberto del Río, Santiago, Chile.
Ignacio Silva Santa CruzPublic Health School, Faculty of Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
Jo BillingsDivisión of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK.
Magdalena JimenezCamden and Islington Mental Health Foundation Trust, London, UK.
Sarah RoweDivisión of Psychiatry, University College London, London, UK. s.rowe@ucl.ac.uk.ORCID 0000-0003-1072-6182

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundIncreasing rates of mental health problems among adolescents are of concern. Teens who are most in need of mental health attention are reluctant to seek help. A better understanding of the help-seeking in this population is needed to overcome this gap.

methodsFive databases were searched to identify the principal barriers, facilitators and interventions targeting help-seeking for common mental health problems in adolescents aged 10-19 years. The search was performed in June 2018 and updated in April 2019. Two independent screening processes were made using the eligibility criteria. Quality assessment of each study was performed, and findings summarised using a narrative synthesis.

resultsNinety studies meet the inclusion criteria for this review for barrier and facilitators (n = 54) and interventions (n = 36). Stigma and negative beliefs towards mental health services and professionals were the most cited barriers. Facilitators included previous positive experience with health services and mental health literacy. Most interventions were based on psychoeducation, which focused on general mental health knowledge, suicide and self-harm, stigma and depression. Other types of interventions included the use of multimedia and online tools, peer training and outreach initiatives. Overall, the quality of studies was low to medium and there was no general agreement regarding help-seeking definition and measurements.

conclusionMost of the interventions took place in an educational setting however, it is important to consider adolescents outside the educational system. Encouraging help-seeking should come with the increased availability of mental health support for all adolescents in need, but this is still a major challenge for Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. There is also a need to develop shared definitions, theoretical frameworks and higher methodological standards in research regarding help-seeking behaviours in adolescents. This will allow more consistency and generalisability of findings, improving the development of help-seeking interventions and ensuring timely access to mental health treatments.

Indexed as

Help-Seeking BehaviorAdolescentFemaleHealth Services AccessibilityHumansMaleMental DisordersMental HealthMental Health ServicesPatient Acceptance of Health CareSocial StigmaAdolescentBarriersFacilitatorsHelp-seekingInterventionsMental healthSystematic review

Identifiers

PMID32527236
PMCPMC7291482

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.