Further development of an online self-help program for mental health problems for adolescents

Studies on the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic in children and adolescents show that the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant negative impact on the mental health of children and adolescents and emphasize the need for action to counteract this development in this population group. The goal of this project is to further develop an online self-help program (www.istokay.at) that was developed in a previous project. The self-help program consists of short videos on mental health issues (e.g., stress, depression, anxiety, and sleep). The videos are each composed of a psychoeducational part and an exercise part. In the psychoeducational part, the respective topic is summarized compactly by explaining causes and symptoms and giving tips on how to deal with the topic properly. Then, in the exercise part, some techniques are presented and instructed, which the young people can participate in and integrate into their everyday life. The exercises are evidence-based techniques from psychology and cognitive behavioral therapy. In addition to the existing videos, this project aims to address other relevant problem areas and address them in short videos. In addition, the online program also includes self-tests that allow young people to quickly assess possible psychological problem areas. Access to the videos and tests is free.