Codesigning a user-centred digital psychoeducational tool for youth mental well-being with families in Canada: study protocol for a sequential exploratory mixed methods study
Henry Thomas Stelfox,
Andrea Soo,
Jeanna Parsons Leigh,
Jia Hu,
Janet A Curran,
Sofia Ahmed,
Perri R Tutelman,
Kirsten M Fiest,
Stephana Julia Moss,
Stacie Smith,
Micaela Harley,
Kathryn Birnie,
Nicole Racine,
Michal S Cherak,
Donna Halperin,
Scott A Halperin,
Laura Leppan,
Angie Nickel,
Kristine Russell,
May Solis,
Maia Stelfox
Affiliations
Henry Thomas Stelfox
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Andrea Soo
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Jeanna Parsons Leigh
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Jia Hu
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Janet A Curran
School of Nursing, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Sofia Ahmed
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Perri R Tutelman
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Kirsten M Fiest
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Stephana Julia Moss
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Stacie Smith
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Micaela Harley
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Kathryn Birnie
3 Cumming School of Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Nicole Racine
2 School of Psychology, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Michal S Cherak
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Donna Halperin
4 School of Nursing, St Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Scott A Halperin
5 Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Laura Leppan
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Angie Nickel
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Kristine Russell
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
May Solis
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Maia Stelfox
1 Faculty of Health, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Introduction On 11 March 2020, WHO declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) disease a global pandemic. Governments globally implemented physical distancing measures and closure of public institutions that resulted in varying implications to youth mental well-being (eg, social isolation, reduced extracurricular activities). These impacts may have detrimental short-term and long-term effects on youth mental well-being; care for youth with mental health disorders was already overstretched, underfunded and fragmented before the pandemic and youth are not often considered in mental health initiatives. There is a pressing need to partner with youth and families to target and improve youth mental well-being prior to the onset of a mental health disorder, as well as to conduct research on youth mental well-being needs related to pandemic recovery. Here we present a protocol for partnering with youth and families to codesign a user-centred digital tool for youth mental well-being.Methods and analysis We will conduct a national research study to develop a catalogue of recommendations specific to supporting youth mental well-being, and a digital tool to support youth mental well-being through three phases of work: (1) expert consultation on data related to supporting youth mental well-being existing within our Pandemic Preparedness Research Program; (2) codesign of an innovative digital tool for youth mental well-being; and (3) assessment of the tool’s usability and acceptability.Ethics and dissemination This study has been approved by the Dalhousie Research Ethics Board (2023-6538) and the Conjoint Health Research Ethics Board (23-0039). This study will complement ongoing foundational research in youth conducted by our team that involves partnering with youth and families to understand the unique implications of the pandemic on this population.
