What do teenagers look for when they search online for mental health help, and which sources do they trust?

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Many young people struggle with their mental health and look online for help. To make better use of their digital presence, the researchers sought to understand how and where they seek information online, and what they think of what they find.

The researchers recruited 24 young people aged 13–18 for a qualitative study. Research team members and trained young researchers jointly conducted online interviews. Participants were presented with a persona showing depression symptoms and asked which sources of information or support they might seek. They were also asked to think aloud while searching online and reviewing mental health resources from NHS and Young Minds. The researchers used reflexive thematic analysis.

The analysis generated four themes: the online help-seeking process, including where young people look for information and why; the mismatch between the information they expected and what they actually found; the strategies they used to judge a source's trustworthiness and credibility; and individual differences that can influence help-seeking.

Participants began their online searches by Googling symptoms. They trusted NHS websites for basic medical information, while charities provided detailed content. Despite scepticism about the content, social media offered validation.

The researchers concluded that online resources should prioritise visual appeal, user-friendliness, age-appropriate and personalised content, and peer insights. They also stated that codesign is imperative to ensure high-quality, impactful research.