Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41454356›Full record

ArticleChild and adolescent psychiatry and mental health2025

Optimising the implementation of a universal web-based mental health service for Australian secondary schools: a cluster randomised controlled trial.

Mirjana Subotic-Kerry, Andrew Mackinnon, Dervla Gallen, Simon Baker, Belinda Louise Parker, Melinda Rose Achilles, Cassandra Chakouch, Nicole Cockayne, Helen Christensen, Bridianne O'Dea

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Article in Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

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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

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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

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Mirjana Subotic-KerryBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia. m.subotic-kerry@blackdog.org.au.
Andrew MackinnonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Dervla GallenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Simon BakerOrygen, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Australia.
Belinda Louise ParkerBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Melinda Rose AchillesBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Cassandra ChakouchBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Nicole CockayneBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Helen ChristensenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
Bridianne O'DeaBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSecondary schools are increasingly delivering a range of mental health interventions with varied success. This trial examined the effectiveness of two implementation strategies, allocation of class time and provision of financial incentives, on the engagement of secondary students with a universal web-based mental health service, Smooth Sailing.

methodsA three-arm, cluster-randomised trial was conducted over 12 weeks with Grade 8 and 9 students from 20 schools in two Australian states. Schools were randomised to: (1) the standard Smooth Sailing service, (2) the standard service plus extra class time, or (3) the standard service plus financial incentives. The primary outcome was student engagement, measured by the number of modules accessed at 12-weeks post-baseline. Secondary outcomes included uptake, retention, help-seeking intentions for mental health problems, service satisfaction, and barriers to use.

resultsA total of 20 schools consented, and 1295 students participated. Students accessed a higher number of modules in the enhanced conditions compared with the standard service, but the differences were not statistically significant (p = 0.14). There were no significant differences in uptake (p = 0.55) or retention (p = 0.95) between conditions. Help-seeking intentions significantly improved at 6- and 12-weeks in the standard service and class time conditions only. Common barriers to service use among students were forgetfulness and low motivation.

conclusionsNeither class time allocation nor financial incentives significantly increased student engagement, as measured by modules accessed, highlighting the challenges of optimising engagement with digital mental health services in schools and emphasising the need to consider the broader school context. Trial registration Australian New Zealand Clinical Trial Registry (ACTRN12621000225819) and Universal Trial Number (U1111-1265-7440).

Indexed as

DigitalHelp-seekingImplementationMental HealthSchoolStudentWeb-based

Identifiers

PMID41454356
PMCPMC12771962

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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.