A Review of the Use and Promotability of Mental Health Apps by Teenagers

Overview

Suicide is the second leading cause of death in teens and young adults, emphasizing the urgent need for effective adolescent mental health care. Three hundred seventy-four teenagers assessed the Rose Mental Health app. In addition to providing demographic information, participants rated their likelihood of using and recommending the app on a 1-10 scale, with ten being the highest. The net promoter score based on the results of the survey was 16.04. The likelihood of personal app use significantly influenced the likelihood of recommending it (p = 2.09 x 10^-32). Teens who had previously used a mental health app were more likely to recommend the app to a friend (p = 1.59 x 10^-5). Gender also played a role, such that females and non-binary individuals were more likely to recommend the app (p = 0.003585). Race was not found to be a statistically significant factor regarding how likely teenagers were to recommend the app to a friend or use the app's features, suggesting that mental health app companies do not need to target different racial groups with different techniques. The study highlighted specific features, including mental health articles, personalized content, daily journaling, and questionnaires, to be helpful to teens and drive their preferences. Demonstration of mental health apps increased the likelihood of adoption. These insights underscore the importance of targeted strategies for promoting mental health awareness and care among teens.