How do teens look for mental health information online?

3 things for parents to know  

In the UK, 83% of teens aged 12-15 have a smartphone, and many will use online sources to navigate their teen years, including mental health problems such as low mood. Online help-seeking has the benefits of anonymity, easy access, and a level of privacy, yet understandably, parents may wonder how and what kind of mental health information their teens may be browsing online. 

In the spotLight on Adolescent Mood Problems (LAMP) research group at the University of Bath, we recently did a study where we interviewed teens aged 15-18 to find out where they look for help online when they become worried about low mood, and what they think of the resources they find.  

Here are three things from our findings that may be useful for parents to know:

Teens are savvy regarding the credibility of online information

While the teens in our study said they would usually do an online browser search as a starting point, they also described how they would assess the trustworthiness of the websites that come up. For example, they would click on the first few results since these seem to be the most used ones, and they would find medical information such as the one on the NHS website more credible than an organisation they had not heard of. 

Teens said they would also look for information on social media, but they described how they would approach it critically and use it with caution. Some said they may find social media posts from other young people validating if they are sharing relatable experiences with their mental health, but they would not perceive mental health information shared by accounts with a large following as factual or as medical advice. 

Overall, these findings showed that teens carefully consider the trustworthiness of the online resources they use, which may be reassuring to parents who are worried about the kind of information their teen has access to online.  

Sources made with teens in mind are valuable

Teens found it important for websites to be tailored to their age group, with information that’s easy to digest and offers practical advice for teens specifically. They pointed out how some websites are more directed at adults which may not be relevant or accessible information. They value information which is created with young people in mind, and with quotes or testimonials from other teens who may have had similar struggles to them. 

Parents might find it useful to do an online search themselves for websites tailored to teens, such as Young Minds or Kooth. This way they can share relevant information with their teen when useful, and it also may help them approach the topic in an age-appropriate way should they wish to discuss mental health or low mood with the young person. 

Help-seeking is a personal journey

The study findings highlighted that each teen’s help-seeking journey is unique, and that depending on how much they already know about available mental health support or the extent to which they are struggling, different types of online information will be useful to different young people. For example, one teen acknowledged that for someone who is just starting to look for help online, the number of webpages that come up could be overwhelming - yet for someone who has already navigated this journey, it could be easier to filter out useful resources. 

It is important to note that online resources are just one potential source of support for young people’s mental health. It can be a useful starting point for those who are already experiencing low mood and act as a gateway to professional support, whereas for those who are experiencing early signs of low mood, it may be enough to help them manage their symptoms. 

Support for parents

Parents play an important role in their young person’s help-seeking journey and can support them by signposting them to trustworthy resources tailored to this age group, in addition to helping them access professional support when needed. Charlie Waller Trust offers resources for parents worried about their child’s mental health, including peer support available across the UK and information on how to support a teen with mental health problems. 

You can also speak to your GP or school, including teachers or school support staff who can help. Shout 85258 provides text-based counselling and The Mix provides a range of supports.