Ludlow K, Russell JK, Ryan B, Brown R, Joynt T, Uhlmann L, Smith G, Donovan C, Hides L, Spence S, March S, Cobham V. Co-designing a digital mental health platform, “Momentum”, with young people aged 7-17: A qualitative study. Digital Health. 2023;9:20552076231216410. doi:10.1177/20552076231216410
A novel digital depression and anxiety platform, “Momentum,” was developed using co-designing workshops with children and adolescents (ages 7-17). Co-designing allows the end users to weigh in on elements in the platform they would find most useful and engaging. This feedback is incorporated to increase the initial and continued use of digital mental health platforms. Eight workshops were conducted with children (n = 26) and twelve with adolescents (n = 42). Most participants had previously experienced emotional problems (67.6%) and had interacted with health-focused apps (76.5%). The workshops revealed six themes to promote engagement. Children and adolescents wanted interactivefeatures and relatable, age-appropriate characters and testimonials embedded into the app. Customizable avatars, background color schemes, and features (i.e., notification frequency, audio, hiding disliked interventions) promoted feelings of ownership. Additional gamification incentives like unlocking avatar clothing or levels of interventions can also be employed while making apps customizable. The workshops also emphasized the need for intuitive design, especially for children, and diversity. Diversity should include cultural representations and learning styles. Lastly, all participants agreed that content must be personalized, transparent, and trustworthy. There were some differences between child and adolescent-specific feature requests. While children were most focused on calming colors, avatars, and gamification, adolescents expressed a desire for peer interaction, destigmatizing mental health care, and journaling.