Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40420311›Full record

ArticleBMC health services research2025

Personalized and collaborative use of digital measurement-based care tools enhances engagement among young adults: a mixed-methods study.

Min K Chong, Ian B Hickie, Mahalakshmi Ekambareshwar, Adam Poulsen, Sarah McKenna, Alexis Hutcheon, Samuel J Hockey, Elizabeth M Scott, Frank Iorfino

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing 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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Observational
  6. Article
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

9 authors.

Min K ChongBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia. min.chong@sydney.edu.au.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-4562-731X
Ian B HickieBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-9895
Mahalakshmi EkambareshwarBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1936-7120
Adam PoulsenBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0001-3894
Sarah McKennaBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8560-6399
Alexis HutcheonBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Samuel J HockeyBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8930-6409
Elizabeth M ScottBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3907-0324
Frank IorfinoBrain and Mind Centre, The University of Sydney, 94 Mallett Street, Camperdown, Sydney, NSW, Australia.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1109-0972

Funding

NHMRC Research Fellowship 511921
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundMeasurement-based care (MBC) enables personalised and proactive mental healthcare through regular symptom monitoring and review, allowing clinicians to make timely adjustments to clients' interventions for improved outcomes. Yet, its uptake in youth mental health services remains minimal. This study aims to explore perceived barriers and facilitators for sustained use of MBC and potential of digital technologies to enhance its engagement in young adults.

methodsA mixed-methods study, comprising focus groups and surveys, was conducted with young adults who had previously accessed mental health services. Template analysis was used to analyze qualitative data, and descriptive analyses were performed with quantitative data.

resultsEighteen young adults (mean age = 21.7 years; SD = 3.4) participated in this study. Survey results showed that young adults agreed with the value of MBC in their care (15/18) and reported low rates of discomfort with progress evaluation (11/18). Focus groups revealed collaborative data review with clinicians as a key facilitator in MBC uptake, driving repeated engagement with data input and review. Participants expressed that generalized interpretation of data that does not consider individual context, and the use of standard measures that were perceived to be irrelevant to their personal treatment goals discouraged their future engagement with MBC. Digital features that improve accessibility and data interpretation were expected to enhance consistent engagement with MBC.

conclusionsThe findings indicate that the motivation and sustained engagement in MBC stem from young adults' comprehension of how collected data fosters shared decision-making and personalize treatment. Therefore, regular, collaborative data reviews would be crucial in cultivating a sense of autonomy and purpose within MBC for young adults. This study highlights the importance of data review in enhancing the uptake of MBC, a factor that is often overlooked. By demonstrating this, the study provides a deeper understanding of motivators in MBC and valuable insights for mental health services to explore strategies that could support clinicians to integrate data review as part of routine care. To this end, one effective approach could be developing technologies that facilitate client-clinician communication and empower young adults to advocate for personalized care.

Indexed as

Digital TechnologyMental Health ServicesPatient ParticipationAdolescentAdultCooperative BehaviorFemaleFocus GroupsHumansMaleQualitative ResearchSurveys and QuestionnairesYoung AdultFeedback informed careHealth servicesMeasurement-based careRoutine outcome monitoringYouth mental health

Identifiers

PMID40420311
PMCPMC12107749

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

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.