Prevention of adolescent mental health conditions: is technology a possible source for good?
The Issue
Approximately half of all poor mental health conditions manifest by early adolescence, and available evidence suggests that around 10 to 20 percent of children and adolescents experience one of these conditions. However, serious data gaps remain around the magnitude of the problem, and what countries can do about it.
Why Does it Matter?
Every adolescent has a right to mental health. SDG target 3.4 focuses on the promotion of mental health and wellbeing, whilst Articles 3 and 24 of the Convention of the Rights of the Child commit to upholding the best interests of the child and that every child has the right to the best possible health, both physical and mental.
The UNICEF Strategic Plan, 2018–2021 identifies a number of emerging issues facing children and young people today, one of which is mental health. Adolescence is a time of tremendous vulnerability for children and young people themselves, and an equally great opportunity for UNICEF and our partners to make targeted and timely investments that can pay enormous dividends. Promotion of good mental health at this pivotal age can help young people to develop a positive and healthy outlook on life, impacting adolescents relationships with themselves and others today and in the future.
Our Project
In June 2020, The GovLab partnered with UNICEF’s Health and HIV team in the Division of Data, Analysis, Planning & Monitoring and the Data for Children Collaborative to undertake a consultation process with over 70 experts from around the world, including youth advocates, to examine and prioritize aspects of adolescent mental health based on a comprehensive topic mapping. The topic mapping covered aspects related to adolescent mental health on three levels: systems, community, and individual and family. The results from the two virtual workshops conducted as part of the consultation process found that prevention and promotion of adolescent mental health emerged as the top priority for those in attendance, coupled with concern over adolescent use of technology.
This project supports UNICEF in its efforts to determine how digital platforms and their applications can positively affect adolescent mental health. A related focus is on how such platforms can promote positive social connections and relationships for adolescents. In this sense, this research provides a fresh angle on a field that typically is focused on adverse impacts of online content.
The aim of this feasibility phase is to establish foundational knowledge, requirements and frameworks, which will lead to developing replicable research methodologies. Broadly speaking, the study will aim to answer the following questions:
How can data science approaches—including social media—be used to derive how 15-19 year olds use digital technology at a national and subnational level?
Based on the outcome of question 1, how can data science approaches—including social media—be used to identify, at a national and sub-national level, which digital technologies are best placed to support positive adolescent mental health?
How can a research framework be designed to be replicated across countries with different demographics and different social media platforms?
The final product will be a publicly accessible report and a tool, which will be used by UNICEF as well as other third public and private sector organisations for program development and to advise country partners. The report will provide a list of recommendations of how online content and digital technologies can be used to promote positive adolescent mental health. As part of the effort, the group will propose and provide an overview of replicable data science-based methodologies that draw on data derived from a multitude of sources to understand how youth are using digital technologies and how digital technologies can drive positive adolescent mental health outcomes.
Our Outputs
