Comprehensive Approaches Using Technology to Address Mental Health

Positive mental health for adolescents is a critical building block for their current and future well-being. More mental health burden can lead to poor outcomes which can have lifelong consequences including attempted or completed suicide. Supporting adolescents in recognizing, accepting, and getting help for mental health issues is paramount in reducing the likelihood of poor outcomes. Adolescents, however, are developmentally and emotionally different than adults and therefore need interventions and supports that are targeted to their needs. The uptake of technology by adolescents is significant. Using technology as one approach to engage adolescents and provide them with supports that educate on mental health, reduces mental health stigma, and promotes help seeking is one option. The goal of this chapter is to provide clinicians with information and strategies on how to access and incorporate approaches that support positive adolescent mental health into their clinical practice.