Building a framework to assess mental health apps for youth
Technology will play a vital role in addressing the worldwide need for better access to mental health services. And while new digital mental health tools are developed every day, decision makers struggle to determine which tools should be used and scaled with
confidence in healthcare systems.
The first report entitled Youth Mental Health Apps in the Digital Age: A Scoping Review of Trends and Evaluations explores current trends in youth mental health and looks more closely at several popular mental health apps. The report identifies strengths and
limitations of available frameworks for evaluating apps and demonstrates a clear need for a science-backed Framework.
The second report draws on input from a distinguished panel of Canadian and international experts in medicine and mobile health, the team produced a groundbreaking report entitled Framework for Evaluation of Mobile Apps for Youth Mental Health. While the report focuses on youth, the Framework is applicable to tools designed for adults.
Findings
Scoping Review: Youth Mental Health in the Digital Age
Framework: A Framework for Evaluation of Mobile Apps for Youth Mental Health
Research Team
Dr. Yuri Quintana, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard University, HRI and John Torous, M.D., Chief of the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Centre, Harvard University.
Funder
The RBC Foundation