YouthDMH - COST Action CA23153
Digital Mental Health for Young People
Enhance research on the use of technology to support young people’s mental health.
Enhance research on the use of technology to support young people’s mental health.
The main goal of the Action is to enhance research on the use of technology to support young people’s mental health. It will emphasise diversity and inclusivity and will consider how technologies can support mental health from the point of initial awareness through to large-scale, evidence-based interventions.
Institutions like the WHO and the European Commission have highlighted the urgent need to address mental health challenges, particularly among young people. YouthDMH is a dedicated initiative exploring how digital technologies can support youth mental health—from early awareness to large-scale evidence-based interventions.
The initiative ensures inclusivity, amplifies the voices of young and marginalized communities, and seeks to maximize technology’s benefits while mitigating risks. Through an interdisciplinary, intersectoral, and sustainable pan-European network, YouthDMH will facilitate knowledge transfer, bridge research and practice, and provide policy recommendations for governments and organizations.
This Action is organized into five Working Groups, each focusing on a key aspect of youth mental health. These groups bring together experts, researchers, and stakeholders to develop innovative approaches, address challenges, and ensure effective solutions.
From youth engagement and access to reliable information to early assessment, technological advancements, and policy impact, each Working Group plays a crucial role in shaping the future of mental health support for young people.
WG1 ensures YouthDMH values are upheld, focusing on youth co-design, diversity, inclusion, and collaboration. It includes key representatives and leads Training Schools and Short-term Scientific Missions.
WG2 will focus on how young people use technology to seek information and help when they experience difficulties.
WG3 will focus on the use of technology to collect contextual information relevant to the assessment of mental health difficulties.
WG4 will draw on the inter-disciplinary expertise within the network and focus on the challenges faced in moving youth mental health technologies from the point of initial technical innovation, through evaluation, to potential large-scale public health impact.
This WG will focus on disseminating the findings and recommendations of the network and ensuring that it achieves the desired short and long-term impacts.
The WHO and European Commission have emphasized the urgent need to address youth mental health, as research shows that half of mental disorders emerge by age 14 and 75% by age 24. European initiatives, such as the European Youth Strategy and Youth Goals, call for action in this area.
The YouthDMH COST Action focuses on the role of digital technologies in supporting youth mental health, recognizing that young people engage with technology differently than adults. Given that 75% of mental health issues arise before 25, YouthDMH aims to foster research, knowledge transfer, and collaboration to develop technology-based solutions for young people aged 11-25, addressing critical transitions from childhood to adulthood.
Our Short-Term Scientific Missions series continues! ✈️
At NOVA University Lisbon, Lamprini Chartofylaka explored how food and wellbeing content on social media shapes young people’s digital mental health. Insights informed four student-designed personas.
@COSTprogramme #YouthDMH
Our Short-Term Scientific Missions series continues! ✈️
At Edge Hill University, María José Arroyo González developed youth-centred ways to share the #YouthDMH Delphi study and a tool to analyse digital mental health policy recommendations.
@COSTprogramme #COSTAction #STSM
