Interactive online tools help teenagers battle depression

Interactive online mental health resources combined with traditional counselling help improve the mental wellbeing of teenagers, according to new research by the University of Sydney published in the Journal of Technology in Human Services . The landmark study, conducted by Dr Andrew Campbell and Dr Suvena Sethi from the Faculty of Health Sciences and Dr Louise Ellis from the Brain and Mind Research Institute , assessed the effectiveness of online mental health resources (static and interactive), including tools used to assist rural and remote young people suffering from mild-to-moderate depression. Dr Campbell's research team are the first to conduct an online mental health resource cross-evaluation in Australia. The study, titled Internet Self-Help for Depression , focused on evaluating current online mental health resources to demonstrate their effectiveness as both stand-alone tools and tools used in conjunction with traditional face-to-face therapy. Study author and senior lecturer in psychology, Dr Andrew Campbell said around one in five Australian teenagers experience depressive mood changes. "While not all have clinical depression, among those who do it often goes unrecognised and untreated, increasing the risk and burden of the disorder," he said. "Each of these innovative online approaches to the prevention and management of mild to moderate depression are in use globally, especially to bridge gaps in the lack of mental health services in rural and remote Australia.