Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40275416›Full record

ArticleBMC psychology2025

Young people's attitudes towards online self-help single-session interventions: findings from a co-produced qualitative study.

N Higson-Sweeney, S Dallison, E Craddock, B Teague, C Payne-Cook, J Leas, A V Slastikova, H Peel, L Biddle, M E Loades

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Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
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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

10 authors.

N Higson-SweeneyDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK. nhs35@bath.ac.uk.
S DallisonDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
E CraddockDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
B TeagueNSFT Research, Norfolk and Suffolk NHS Foundation Trust, Norwich, UK.
C Payne-CookDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
J LeasDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
A V SlastikovaDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
H PeelDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.
L BiddlePopulation Health Sciences, Bristol Medical School, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK.
M E LoadesDepartment of Psychology, University of Bath, Claverton Down, Bath, UK.

Funding

National Institute for Health and Care Research Advanced Fellowship 302929
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMany young people experience at least subthreshold depression symptoms which impact their functioning. Yet, access to evidence-based help is limited, with barriers such as service thresholds, stigma, and lack of knowledge about mental health and available services. One way to ensure young people have access to free, early, immediate and anonymous help is through online self-help single-session interventions. This study aimed to qualitatively explore young people's perceptions of and attitudes towards these interventions.

methodsTwenty-four young people (UK based, age 15-18) took part in qualitative semi-structured interviews which were hosted online and co-conducted with a young research team (N = 4, age 16-18), during which we described online single-session interventions and asked participants for their perspectives. Together with our young researchers, we analyzed the data using reflexive thematic analysis.

resultsThree themes were generated: (1) Will it help, or won't it? Hope versus skepticism; (2) Why this approach? Benefits of single-session interventions for young people; and (3) Have you considered this? Logistics for implementation.

conclusionsThe current study highlights that whilst young people perceived there to be many benefits associated with online single-session interventions, including anonymity, easy access, and lack of disclosure, they expressed doubts regarding sufficiency and ability to address severe mental health problems. Despite this, the potentially preventative effects during the early stages of help-seeking were highlighted, alongside single-session interventions acting as a gateway to further help-seeking and support. However, logistical considerations should also be reflected upon when developing online single-session interventions, including where they are advertised, age appropriateness, and how to demonstrate trustworthiness.

Indexed as

DepressionInternet-Based InterventionSelf CareAdolescentFemaleHumansInternetMaleQualitative ResearchMental healthOnline help-seekingParticipatory researchQualitative studySingle-session interventionsYouth

Identifiers

PMID40275416
PMCPMC12023387

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

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.