Development of a web-based resource for parents to support youth mental health: An exploratory sequential mixed methods approach

There is a lack of digital gatekeeper resources developed for parents to assist them in recognising and responding to mental health problems in their children and adolescents. We aimed to address this by exploring parents' mental health information needs, and to iteratively develop and design a resource incorporating their feedback. A three-phase iterative user-centred design process was conducted to (1) explore parents' information needs and preferences through a survey; (2) develop and revise resource content through interviews with parents; and (3) obtain feedback from parents regarding the resource prototype to improve it. An online survey of Australian parents (n = 631) confirmed that there was a demand for an online gatekeeper style resource that focused on anxiety, depression, self-harm and suicide in children and adolescents. Thematic analysis of 14 semi-structured interviews with parents applied three deductive themes and one inductively identified theme, which reinforced the resource content and led to the inclusion of additional topics (e.g. self-care) and the lived experience voice (e.g. stories and quotes). A prototype of the resource was developed and reviewed by nine parents and two State/Territory Education Department representatives. Overall, the resource was rated as suitable by the participants, although additional improvements were made to usability and content relevance. Given sampling limitations, it is important that the program is validated with a diverse sample of parents, to ensure it meets the needs of the broader population.