Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41551031›Full record

ArticleInternet interventions2026

Sustained engagement with a digital youth mental health platform: A mixed-methods study.

Lee Valentine, Jennifer Nicholas, Rory Sorenson, Nicola A Chen, Carla McEnery, Shona Louis, Shane Cross, Shaminka N Mangelsdorf, Shaunagh O'Sullivan, Thomas W Wren and 4 more

Abstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Internet interventions, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing 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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

14 authors.

Lee ValentineOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Jennifer NicholasOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Rory SorensonOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Nicola A ChenGoulburn Valley Public Health Unit, Goulburn Valley Health, Victoria, Australia.
Carla McEneryOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Shona LouisOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Shane CrossOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Shaminka N MangelsdorfOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Shaunagh O'SullivanOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Thomas W WrenOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Sandra BucciDivision of Psychology and Mental Health, School of Health Sciences, Manchester Academic Health Sciences Centre, The University of Manchester, Manchester, UK.
John GleesonHealthy Brain and Mind Research Centre, School of Behavioural and Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, Australian Catholic University, Melbourne, Australia.
Sarah BendallOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.
Mario Alvarez-JimenezOrygen, The National Centre of Excellence in Youth Mental Health, Melbourne, Australia.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Digital mental health interventions offer a scalable means of expanding access to youth mental health care. However, their capacity to achieve population-level impact is limited by persistently low and varied user engagement. A more nuanced understanding of experiential factors associated with sustained engagement is needed to inform the design of digital interventions that are both clinically effective and engaging to young people. Objective: To identify experiential factors associated with sustained engagement with a large-scale, real-world digital youth mental health platform implemented across Australian youth mental health services. Methods: A convergent mixed-methods approach integrated platform usage data and qualitative interviews with young people aged 16-25 years (mean = 19; Results: Two experiential factors were significantly associated with sustained engagement: (1) relational experiences, including normalisation and validation ( Conclusions: This mixed methods study offers preliminary insights into experiential factors associated with engagement with a large-scale digital mental health intervention for young people. Indications suggest two experiential pathways to sustained use: relational experiences characterised by feeling understood, normalisation, and belonging, and functional utility reflected in the practical application of therapeutic strategies in daily life. Challenges reported by low-engaged young people, including cognitive overload, low motivation, and limited reminder prompting from the intervention, highlight opportunities for adaptive, low-effort re-engagement strategies. As digital mental health services continue to scale, understanding engagement as an emotional, social, and practical process may help support more sustained and inclusive participation.

Indexed as

Digital interventionDigital mental healthEngagementMental healthMotivationYoung peopleYouth mental health

Identifiers

PMID41551031
PMCPMC12811672

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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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.