research question on mental health

150+ Trending Mental Health Research Topics For Students (2023)

Mental health is an important part of our well-being, encompassing our emotional, psychological, and social health. In the United States, the importance of addressing mental health has gained recognition, with growing concerns about stress, anxiety, and depression.

In this blog, we will guide you the meaning of mental health research topics with our 5 useful tips. Moreover, we give you a list of 150+ Mental Health Research Topics in 2023, including qualitative, interesting, and even controversial ones, you’ll find options that suit your interests. From the impact of social media to the intersection of Mental Health with political science and music therapy, we’ve got you covered.

Stay tuned for more on mental health research topics, and do not forget our bonus tips for selecting the best topics.

What Is Mental Health?

Table of Contents

Mental health is about how we feel and think inside our minds. It’s like taking care of our thoughts and emotions, just like we take care of our bodies. When our mental health is good, we usually feel happy and calm and can handle life’s challenges. But when our mental health is not so good, we might feel sad, anxious, or overwhelmed.

What Are Mental Health Research Topics?

Mental health research topics are subjects that scientists and experts study to learn more about our thoughts and emotions. These topics include things like understanding what causes mental health problems, finding better ways to help people who are struggling, and figuring out how to prevent these issues from happening. Researchers also examine how different treatments, like therapy or medication, can help improve mental health.

These research topics are important because they help us learn more about our minds and how to keep them healthy. By studying these topics, scientists can discover new ways to support people who are facing mental health challenges, making it easier for everyone to lead happier and more balanced lives.

5 Useful Tips For Choosing Mental Health Research Topics

Here are some useful tips for choosing mental health research topics:

1. Your research will be more focused and impactful.

2. You will be more likely to find funding and support.

3. You will be more likely to publish your research in peer-reviewed journals.

4. You will be more likely to make a huge contribution to the field of mental health research.

5. You will be more likely to enjoy your research experience.

Choosing the right mental health research topic is essential for success. By following the tips above, you can choose a topic that is focused, impactful, and relevant to your interests and expertise.

150+ Mental Health Research Topics In 2023

In this section, we will explore 150+ mental health research topics on different categories:

Mental Health Research Topics For College Students

College students often face unique mental health challenges. Here are 15 research topics for studying mental health in this demographic:

The impact of academic stress on college students’ mental health.
Exploring the relationship between sleep patterns and mental well-being among college students.
Analyzing the effectiveness of campus mental health services.
Investigating the prevalence of substance abuse and its effects on mental health in college students.
The role of peer support groups in reducing anxiety and depression among college students.
Examining the influence of social media usage on the mental health of college students.
The correlation between mental stress and financial stress issues in college students.
The value of practicing mindfulness and meditation for college students’ mental health.
Getting a better idea of how different cultures affect college students’ mental health.
Trying to figure out how mental health and physical movement affect college students.
Investigating the stigma surrounding mental health issues in college environments.
Analyzing the role of academic pressure in the onset of eating disorders among college students.
The effectiveness of online mental health resources and apps for college students.
Examining the mental health challenges faced by LGBTQ+ college students.
The impact of COVID-19 and remote learning on the mental health of college students.

Mental Health Research Topics For High School Students

High school students also encounter unique mental health concerns. Here are 15 research topics for studying mental health in this age group:

The effects of academic pressure on the mental health of high school students.
Investigating the role of family dynamics in the emotional well-being of high school students.
Analyzing the impact of bullying and cyberbullying on the mental health of teenagers.
The relationship between social media use and body image issues in high school students.
Examining the effectiveness of mental health education programs in high schools.
Investigating the prevalence of self-harm and suicidal ideation among high school students.
Analyzing the influence of peer relationships on the mental health of adolescents.
The role of extracurricular activities in promoting positive mental health in high school students.
Exploring the effects of substances abuse on the mental well-being of teenagers.
Investigating the stigma surrounding mental health issues in high schools.
The effects of COVID-19 and remote learning on the mental health of high school students.
Examining the mental health challenges faced by immigrant and refugee high school students.
Analyzing the relationship between sleep patterns and mental health in adolescents.
The effectiveness of art and creative therapies in treating mental health issues in high school students.
Investigating the role of teachers and school counselors in supporting students’ mental health.

Mental Health Research Topics For Nursing Students

Nursing students play a vital role in mental health care. Here are 15 research topics relevant to nursing students:

The impact of nursing education on students’ mental health.
Investigating the effectiveness of therapeutic communication in psychiatric nursing.
Analyzing the role of psychiatric medications in mental health treatment.
The importance of self-care practices for nursing students’ mental well-being.
Exploring the challenges faced by nursing students in caring for patients with severe mental illness.
Investigating the influence of nursing curricula on reducing mental health stigma.
Analyzing the role of clinical placements in preparing nursing students for mental health nursing.
The effects of peer support programs on nursing students’ mental health.
Examining the prevalence of burnout and stress among nursing students.
The importance of cultural skills in nursing care for different mental health patients.
Investigating the impact of technology and telehealth on mental health nursing practices.
Analyzing the ethical dilemmas faced by nursing students in mental health care.
Exploring the use of simulation training in psychiatric nursing education.
The effectiveness of mindfulness and stress management programs for nursing students.
Finding out what nursing students think about the healing model in mental health care is the goal of this study.

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Psychology Culture, And Mental Health Research Topics

Psychology and culture intersect in complex ways. Here are 15 research topics in this area:

Cross-cultural variations in the manifestation of mental disorders.
The influence of cultural beliefs on help-seeking behaviors for mental health issues.
Analyzing cultural factors in the diagnosis and treatment of depression.
The effect of acculturation on the mental health of newcomers.
Exploring cultural stigma surrounding mental illness in different societies.
Investigating the role of traditional healing practices in mental health care.
Cross-cultural perspectives on the concept of resilience in mental health.
Analyzing cultural variations in the experience of anxiety disorders.
The role of cultural competence in psychotherapy and counseling.
Exploring indigenous perspectives on mental health and well-being.
The impact of globalization on cultural attitudes toward mental health.
Investigating the influence of religion and spirituality on mental health outcomes.
Analyzing cultural differences in the perception and treatment of eating disorders.
The role of cultural identity in coping with trauma and adversity.
Cross-cultural perspectives on the use of psychotropic medications in mental health treatment.

Community Mental Health Research Topics

Community mental health research is crucial for improving public well-being. Here are 15 research topics in this field:

Evaluating the effectiveness of community-based mental health programs.
Investigating the role of peer support networks in community mental health.
Analyzing the impact of housing instability on mental health in urban communities.
Why early intervention programs are so important for avoiding serious mental illness.
Exploring the use of telemedicine in delivering mental health services to underserved communities.
Investigating the integration of mental health care into primary care settings.
Analyzing the effectiveness of crisis intervention teams in community policing.
The role of community art and creative programs in promoting mental well-being.
Examining the mental health challenges faced by homeless populations.
The impact of community outreach and education on reducing mental health stigma.
Investigating the use of community gardens and green spaces for improving mental health.
Analyzing the relationship between neighborhood characteristics and mental health disparities.
Exploring the role of community leaders and advocates in mental health policy.
The effectiveness of community-based substance abuse treatment programs.
Finding out what part social determinants of health play in the mental health of a community.

Global Mental Health Research Topics

Mental health is a global issue with unique challenges. Here are 15 research topics in global mental health:

Analyzing the burden of mental illness on global public health.
Investigating the cultural variations in mental health stigma worldwide.
The impact of arms conflict and displacement on mental well-being.
Exploring the use of teletherapy for improving access to mental health care in low-resource settings.
Analyzing the role of traditional healers in global mental health care.
Investigating the mental health challenges faced by refugees and asylum seekers.
The effectiveness of international mental health aid and interventions.
Examining the mental health implications of weather change and natural disasters.
Analyzing the global prevalence and treatment of common mental disorders.
Exploring the intersection of infectious diseases (e.g., HIV/AIDS) and mental health.
Mental Health in Urban Environments: Analyzing the unique challenges faced by individuals living in densely populated urban areas.
Mental Health and Digital Technology: Exploring the impact of digital technology on mental well-being across cultures and age groups.
Mental Health in Indigenous Communities: Investigating mental health disparities among indigenous populations and the role of cultural preservation.
Mental Health in the Workplace: Examining workplace-related stressors and policies to support employees’ mental well-being globally.
Youth Mental Health: Studying mental health challenges among children and adolescents, considering factors like education and family dynamics.

Qualitative Mental Health Research Topics

Qualitative research in mental health can provide rich insights into individuals’ experiences and perceptions. Here are 15 qualitative research topics in mental health:

Exploring the lived experiences of individuals with schizophrenia.
Qualitative analysis of the stigma associated with seeking mental health treatment.
Understanding the coping mechanisms of parents with children diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.
Investigating the narratives of individuals recovering from addiction.
Analyzing the cultural perceptions of depression and its treatment.
Examining the subjective experiences of caregivers of dementia patients.
Discussing the role of spirituality in the recovery process for people with mental illness.
Qualitative assessment of the impact of mindfulness-based interventions on stress reduction.
Investigating the narratives of survivors of suicide attempts.
Understanding the experiences of LGBTQ+ individuals in mental health care.
Analyzing the perceptions of veterans regarding post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) treatment.
Exploring the subjective experiences of individuals with eating disorders.
Qualitative assessment of the role of peer support groups in recovery from substance abuse.
Investigating the stigma and barriers faced by individuals with bipolar disorder.
Understanding the cultural variations in perceptions of anxiety disorders.

Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

Fascinating mental health topics can engage researchers and readers alike. Here are 15 intriguing research topics in mental health:

The impact of virtual reality therapy on anxiety and phobias.
Investigating the connection between creativity and mental well-being.
Analyzing the role of pet therapy in reducing stress and anxiety.
Exploring the effects of nature and green spaces on mental health.
The relationship between personality types (e.g., introversion, extroversion) and mental health outcomes.
Investigating the benefits of laughter therapy on mood and stress.
Analyzing the effects of lucid dreaming on nightmares and trauma.
Exploring the mental health benefits of volunteering and altruism.
The impact of time-restricted eating on mood and cognitive function.
Investigating the use of virtual support groups for individuals with social anxiety.
Analyzing the relationship between music and memory in Alzheimer’s disease.
Exploring the mental health effects of color psychology and interior design.
The role of adventure therapy in enhancing self-esteem and resilience.
Investigating the influence of childhood hobbies on adult mental well-being.
Analyzing the connection between humor and emotional intelligence in mental health promotion.

Social Media On Mental Health Research Topics

Social media’s impact on mental health is a timely and relevant research area. Here are 15 research topics on this subject:

Analyzing the relationship between social media use and feelings of loneliness.
Investigating the effects of cyberbullying on adolescent mental health.
The influence of social media comparison on body image dissatisfaction.
Exploring the role of social media in the dissemination of mental health information.
Analyzing the impact of social media detoxes on well-being.
Investigating the link between excessive screen time and sleep disturbances.
The effects of online support communities on mental health recovery.
Exploring the role of influencer culture in shaping mental health perceptions.
Analyzing the relationship between social media activism and mental well-being.
Investigating the impact of “FOMO” (Fear of Missing Out) on anxiety levels.
The role of social media in spreading wrong information about mental health.
Exploring the effects of targeted advertising on mental health outcomes.
Analyzing the relationship between online gaming and addictive behaviors.
Investigating the influence of social media on political polarization and mental health.
The role of social media in fostering a sense of community among marginalized groups with mental health issues.

Cool Mental Health Research Topics

Cool mental health topics can pique interest and lead to innovative research. Here are some cool research topics in mental health:

Investigating the therapeutic potential of psychedelic substances for mental health treatment.
Analyzing the impact of virtual reality gaming on managing stress and anxiety.
Exploring the use of artificial intelligence and chatbots in mental health counseling.
The effectiveness of mindfulness apps and wearable devices in promoting mental well-being.
Investigating the role of gut microbiota in mood and mental health.
Analyzing the use of neurofeedback technology for improving attention and focus in ADHD.
Exploring the benefits of equine-assisted therapy for individuals with PTSD .
The potential of psychedelic-assisted psychotherapy for treating depression.
Investigating the use of art therapy and virtual art galleries for mental health support.
Analyzing the impact of music and sound therapy on sleep quality and anxiety.
Exploring the use of scent and aroma therapy in mood regulation.
The role of biofeedback and wearable sensors in managing panic disorders.
Investigating the mental health benefits of urban gardening and green rooftops.
Analyzing the use of brain-computer interfaces in enhancing emotional regulation.
Exploring the connection between outdoor adventure activities and resilience in mental health recovery.

1. Choose a research topic according to your interest ,expertise, and career goals.
2. Make sure the topic is feasible and can be completed within the given time and resources.
3. Choose a topic that will make a meaningful contribution to the mental health field.
4. Consider the ethical implications of your research and ensure that it protects the rights and well-being of 5. participants.
5. Select a topic that is original and innovative and not simply a rehash of existing research.

Understanding what mental health is and exploring various mental health research topics is crucial in addressing the challenges individuals face today. Choosing the right topic involves considering your audience and interests, as highlighted in our five tips. With 150+ mental health research topics for 2023, we have provided options for college, high school, and nursing students and those interested in psychology, culture, and global perspectives.

Moreover, qualitative and intriguing topics offer diverse avenues for exploration while acknowledging the impact of social media on mental health is essential. Remember our bonus tips when selecting your mental health research topic – prioritize relevance and impact to make a meaningful contribution to this vital field.

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Research Topics & Ideas: Mental Health

100+ Mental Health Research Topic Ideas To Fast-Track Your Project

If you’re just starting out exploring mental health topics for your dissertation, thesis or research project, you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll help kickstart your research topic ideation process by providing a hearty list of mental health-related research topics and ideas.

PS – This is just the start…

We know it’s exciting to run through a list of research topics, but please keep in mind that this list is just a starting point . To develop a suitable education-related research topic, you’ll need to identify a clear and convincing research gap , and a viable plan of action to fill that gap.

If this sounds foreign to you, check out our free research topic webinar that explores how to find and refine a high-quality research topic, from scratch. Alternatively, if you’d like hands-on help, consider our 1-on-1 coaching service .

Overview: Mental Health Topic Ideas

Mood disorders
Anxiety disorders
Psychotic disorders
Personality disorders
Obsessive-compulsive disorders
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Neurodevelopmental disorders
Eating disorders
Substance-related disorders

Mood Disorders

Research in mood disorders can help understand their causes and improve treatment methods. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

The impact of genetics on the susceptibility to depression
Efficacy of antidepressants vs. cognitive behavioural therapy
The role of gut microbiota in mood regulation
Cultural variations in the experience and diagnosis of bipolar disorder
Seasonal Affective Disorder: Environmental factors and treatment
The link between depression and chronic illnesses
Exercise as an adjunct treatment for mood disorders
Hormonal changes and mood swings in postpartum women
Stigma around mood disorders in the workplace
Suicidal tendencies among patients with severe mood disorders

Anxiety Disorders

Research topics in this category can potentially explore the triggers, coping mechanisms, or treatment efficacy for anxiety disorders.

The relationship between social media and anxiety
Exposure therapy effectiveness in treating phobias
Generalised Anxiety Disorder in children: Early signs and interventions
The role of mindfulness in treating anxiety
Genetics and heritability of anxiety disorders
The link between anxiety disorders and heart disease
Anxiety prevalence in LGBTQ+ communities
Caffeine consumption and its impact on anxiety levels
The economic cost of untreated anxiety disorders
Virtual Reality as a treatment method for anxiety disorders

Psychotic Disorders

Within this space, your research topic could potentially aim to investigate the underlying factors and treatment possibilities for psychotic disorders.

Early signs and interventions in adolescent psychosis
Brain imaging techniques for diagnosing psychotic disorders
The efficacy of antipsychotic medication
The role of family history in psychotic disorders
Misdiagnosis and delayed treatment of psychotic disorders
Co-morbidity of psychotic and mood disorders
The relationship between substance abuse and psychotic disorders
Art therapy as a treatment for schizophrenia
Public perception and stigma around psychotic disorders
Hospital vs. community-based care for psychotic disorders

Research Topic Kickstarter - Need Help Finding A Research Topic?

Personality Disorders

Research topics within in this area could delve into the identification, management, and social implications of personality disorders.

Long-term outcomes of borderline personality disorder
Antisocial personality disorder and criminal behaviour
The role of early life experiences in developing personality disorders
Narcissistic personality disorder in corporate leaders
Gender differences in personality disorders
Diagnosis challenges for Cluster A personality disorders
Emotional intelligence and its role in treating personality disorders
Psychotherapy methods for treating personality disorders
Personality disorders in the elderly population
Stigma and misconceptions about personality disorders

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders

Within this space, research topics could focus on the causes, symptoms, or treatment of disorders like OCD and hoarding.

OCD and its relationship with anxiety disorders
Cognitive mechanisms behind hoarding behaviour
Deep Brain Stimulation as a treatment for severe OCD
The impact of OCD on academic performance in students
Role of family and social networks in treating OCD
Alternative treatments for hoarding disorder
Childhood onset OCD: Diagnosis and treatment
OCD and religious obsessions
The impact of OCD on family dynamics
Body Dysmorphic Disorder: Causes and treatment

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Research topics in this area could explore the triggers, symptoms, and treatments for PTSD. Here are some thought starters to get you moving.

PTSD in military veterans: Coping mechanisms and treatment
Childhood trauma and adult onset PTSD
Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) efficacy
Role of emotional support animals in treating PTSD
Gender differences in PTSD occurrence and treatment
Effectiveness of group therapy for PTSD patients
PTSD and substance abuse: A dual diagnosis
First responders and rates of PTSD
Domestic violence as a cause of PTSD
The neurobiology of PTSD

Free Webinar: How To Find A Dissertation Research Topic

Neurodevelopmental Disorders

This category of mental health aims to better understand disorders like Autism and ADHD and their impact on day-to-day life.

Early diagnosis and interventions for Autism Spectrum Disorder
ADHD medication and its impact on academic performance
Parental coping strategies for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Autism and gender: Diagnosis disparities
The role of diet in managing ADHD symptoms
Neurodevelopmental disorders in the criminal justice system
Genetic factors influencing Autism
ADHD and its relationship with sleep disorders
Educational adaptations for children with neurodevelopmental disorders
Neurodevelopmental disorders and stigma in schools

Eating Disorders

Research topics within this space can explore the psychological, social, and biological aspects of eating disorders.

The role of social media in promoting eating disorders
Family dynamics and their impact on anorexia
Biological basis of binge-eating disorder
Treatment outcomes for bulimia nervosa
Eating disorders in athletes
Media portrayal of body image and its impact
Eating disorders and gender: Are men underdiagnosed?
Cultural variations in eating disorders
The relationship between obesity and eating disorders
Eating disorders in the LGBTQ+ community

Substance-Related Disorders

Research topics in this category can focus on addiction mechanisms, treatment options, and social implications.

Efficacy of rehabilitation centres for alcohol addiction
The role of genetics in substance abuse
Substance abuse and its impact on family dynamics
Prescription drug abuse among the elderly
Legalisation of marijuana and its impact on substance abuse rates
Alcoholism and its relationship with liver diseases
Opioid crisis: Causes and solutions
Substance abuse education in schools: Is it effective?
Harm reduction strategies for drug abuse
Co-occurring mental health disorders in substance abusers

Choosing A Research Topic

These research topic ideas we’ve covered here serve as thought starters to help you explore different areas within mental health. They are intentionally very broad and open-ended. By engaging with the currently literature in your field of interest, you’ll be able to narrow down your focus to a specific research gap .

It’s important to consider a variety of factors when choosing a topic for your dissertation or thesis . Think about the relevance of the topic, its feasibility , and the resources available to you, including time, data, and academic guidance. Also, consider your own interest and expertise in the subject, as this will sustain you through the research process.

Always consult with your academic advisor to ensure that your chosen topic aligns with academic requirements and offers a meaningful contribution to the field. If you need help choosing a topic, consider our private coaching service.

Good morning everyone. This are very patent topics for research in neuroscience. Thank you for guidance

What if everything is important, original and intresting? as in Neuroscience. I find myself overwhelmd with tens of relveant areas and within each area many optional topics. I ask myself if importance (for example – able to treat people suffering) is more relevant than what intrest me, and on the other hand if what advance me further in my career should not also be a consideration?

This information is really helpful and have learnt alot

Phd research topics on implementation of mental health policy in Nigeria :the prospects, challenges and way forward.

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80 fascinating psychology research questions for your next project

Last updated

15 February 2024

Reviewed by

Brittany Ferri, PhD, OTR/L

Short on time? Get an AI generated summary of this article instead

Psychology research is essential for furthering our understanding of human behavior and improving the diagnosis and treatment of psychological conditions.

When psychologists know more about how different social and cultural factors influence how humans act, think, and feel, they can recommend improvements to practices in areas such as education, sport, healthcare, and law enforcement.

Below, you will find 80 research question examples across 16 branches of psychology. First, though, let’s look at some tips to help you select a suitable research topic.

How to choose a good psychology research topic

Psychology has many branches that break down further into topics. Choosing a topic for your psychology research paper can be daunting because there are so many to choose from. It’s an important choice, as the topic you select will open up a range of questions to explore.

The tips below can help you find a psychology research topic that suits your skills and interests.

Tip #1: Select a topic that interests you

Passion and interest should fuel every research project. A topic that fascinates you will most likely interest others as well. Think about the questions you and others might have and decide on the issues that matter most. Draw on your own interests, but also keep your research topical and relevant to others.

Don’t limit yourself to a topic that you already know about. Instead, choose one that will make you want to know more and dig deeper. This will keep you motivated and excited about your research.

Tip #2: Choose a topic with a manageable scope

If your topic is too broad, you can get overwhelmed by the amount of information available and have trouble maintaining focus. On the other hand, you may find it difficult to find enough information if you choose a topic that is too narrow.

To determine if the topic is too broad or too narrow, start researching as early as possible. If you find there’s an overwhelming amount of research material, you’ll probably need to narrow the topic down. For example, instead of researching the general population, it might be easier to focus on a specific age group. Ask yourself what area of the general topic interests you most and focus on that.

If your scope is too narrow, try to generalize or focus on a larger related topic. Expand your search criteria or select additional databases for information. Consider if the topic is too new to have much information published on it as well.

Tip #3: Select a topic that will produce useful and relevant insights

Doing some preliminary research will reveal any existing research on the topic. If there is existing research, will you be able to produce new insights? You might need to focus on a different area or see if the existing research has limitations that you can overcome.

Bear in mind that finding new information from which to draw fresh insights may be impossible if your topic has been over-researched.

You’ll also need to consider whether your topic is relevant to current trends and needs. For example, researching psychology topics related to social media use may be highly relevant today.

80 psychology research topics and questions

Psychology is a broad subject with many branches and potential areas of study. Here are some of them:

Developmental

Personality

Experimental

Organizational

Educational

Neuropsychology

Controversial topics

Below we offer some suggestions on research topics and questions that can get you started. Keep in mind that these are not all-inclusive but should be personalized to fit the theme of your paper.

Social psychology research topics and questions

Social psychology has roots as far back as the 18th century. In simple terms, it’s the study of how behavior is influenced by the presence and behavior of others. It is the science of finding out who we are, who we think we are, and how our perceptions affect ourselves and others. It looks at personalities, relationships, and group behavior.

Here are some potential research questions and paper titles for this topic:

How does social media use impact perceptions of body image in male adolescents?

2. Is childhood bullying a risk factor for social anxiety in adults?

Is homophobia in individuals caused by genetic or environmental factors?

What is the most important psychological predictor of a person’s willingness to donate to charity?

Does a person’s height impact how other people perceive them? If so, how?

Cognitive psychology research questions

Cognitive psychology is the branch that focuses on the interactions of thinking, emotion, creativity, and problem-solving. It also explores the reasons humans think the way they do.

This topic involves exploring how people think by measuring intelligence, thoughts, and cognition.

Here are some research question ideas:

6. Is there a link between chronic stress and memory function?

7. Can certain kinds of music trigger memories in people with memory loss?

8. Do remote meetings impact the efficacy of team decision-making?

9. Do word games and puzzles slow cognitive decline in adults over the age of 80?

10. Does watching television impact a child’s reading ability?

Developmental psychology research questions

Developmental psychology is the study of how humans grow and change over their lifespan. It usually focuses on the social, emotional, and physical development of babies and children, though it can apply to people of all ages. Developmental psychology is important for understanding how we learn, mature, and adapt to changes.

Here are some questions that might inspire your research:

11. Does grief accelerate the aging process?

12. How do parent–child attachment patterns influence the development of emotion regulation in teenagers?

13. Does bilingualism affect cognitive decline in adults over the age of 70?

14. How does the transition to adulthood impact decision-making abilities

15. How does early exposure to music impact mental health and well-being in school-aged children?

Personality psychology research questions

Personality psychology studies personalities, how they develop, their structures, and the processes that define them. It looks at intelligence, disposition, moral beliefs, thoughts, and reactions.

The goal of this branch of psychology is to scientifically interpret the way personality patterns manifest into an individual’s behaviors. Here are some example research questions:

16. Nature vs. nurture: Which impacts personality development the most?

17. The role of genetics on personality: Does an adopted child take on their biological parents’ personality traits?

18. How do personality traits influence leadership styles and effectiveness in organizational settings?

19. Is there a relationship between an individual’s personality and mental health?

20. Can a chronic illness affect your personality?

Abnormal psychology research questions

As the name suggests, abnormal psychology is a branch that focuses on abnormal behavior and psychopathology (the scientific study of mental illness or disorders).

Abnormal behavior can be challenging to define. Who decides what is “normal”? As such, psychologists in this area focus on the level of distress that certain behaviors may cause, although this typically involves studying mental health conditions such as depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and phobias.

Here are some questions to consider:

21. How does technology impact the development of social anxiety disorder?

22. What are the factors behind the rising incidence of eating disorders in adolescents?

23. Are mindfulness-based interventions effective in the treatment of PTSD?

24. Is there a connection between depression and gambling addiction?

25. Can physical trauma cause psychopathy?

Clinical psychology research questions

Clinical psychology deals with assessing and treating mental illness or abnormal or psychiatric behaviors. It differs from abnormal psychology in that it focuses more on treatments and clinical aspects, while abnormal psychology is more behavioral focused.

This is a specialty area that provides care and treatment for complex mental health conditions. This can include treatment, not only for individuals but for couples, families, and other groups. Clinical psychology also supports communities, conducts research, and offers training to promote mental health. This category is very broad, so there are lots of topics to explore.

Below are some example research questions to consider:

26. Do criminals require more specific therapies or interventions?

27. How effective are selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors in treating mental health disorders?

28. Are there any disadvantages to humanistic therapy?

29. Can group therapy be more beneficial than one-on-one therapy sessions?

30. What are the factors to consider when selecting the right treatment plan for patients with anxiety?

Experimental psychology research questions

Experimental psychology deals with studies that can prove or disprove a hypothesis. Psychologists in this field use scientific methods to collect data on basic psychological processes such as memory, cognition, and learning. They use this data to test the whys and hows of behavior and how outside factors influence its creation.

Areas of interest in this branch relate to perception, memory, emotion, and sensation. The below are example questions that could inspire your own research:

31. Do male or female parents/carers have a more calming influence on children?

32. Will your preference for a genre of music increase the more you listen to it?

33. What are the psychological effects of posting on social media vs. not posting?

34. How is productivity affected by social connection?

35. Is cheating contagious?

Organizational psychology research questions

Organizational psychology studies human behavior in the workplace. It is most frequently used to evaluate an employee, group, or a company’s organizational dynamics. Researchers aim to isolate issues and identify solutions.

This area of study can be beneficial to both employees and employers since the goal is to improve the overall work environment and experience. Researchers apply psychological principles and findings to recommend improvements in performance, communication, job satisfaction, and safety.

Some potential research questions include the following:

36. How do different leadership styles affect employee morale?

37. Do longer lunch breaks boost employee productivity?

38. Is gender an antecedent to workplace stress?

39. What is the most effective way to promote work–life balance among employees?

40. How do different organizational structures impact the effectiveness of communication, decision-making, and productivity?

Forensic psychology research questions

Some questions to consider exploring in this branch of psychology are:

41. How does incarceration affect mental health?

42. Is childhood trauma a driver for criminal behavior during adulthood?

43. Are people with mental health conditions more likely to be victims of crimes?

44. What are the drivers of false memories, and how do they impact the justice system?

45. Is the media responsible for copycat crimes?

Educational psychology research questions

Educational psychology studies children in an educational setting. It covers topics like teaching methods, aptitude assessment, self-motivation, technology, and parental involvement.

Research in this field of psychology is vital for understanding and optimizing learning processes. It informs educators about cognitive development, learning styles, and effective teaching strategies.

Here are some example research questions:

46. Are different teaching styles more beneficial for children at different times of the day?

47. Can listening to classical music regularly increase a student’s test scores?

48. Is there a connection between sugar consumption and knowledge retention in students?

49. Does sleep duration and quality impact academic performance?

50. Does daily meditation at school influence students’ academic performance and mental health?

Sports psychology research question examples

Sport psychology aims to optimize physical performance and well-being in athletes by using cognitive and behavioral practices and interventions. Some methods include counseling, training, and clinical interventions.

Research in this area is important because it can improve team and individual performance, resilience, motivation, confidence, and overall well-being

Here are some research question ideas for you to consider:

51. How can a famous coach affect a team’s performance?

52. How can athletes control negative emotions in violent or high-contact sports?

53. How does using social media impact an athlete’s performance and well-being?

54. Can psychological interventions help with injury rehabilitation?

55. How can mindfulness practices boost sports performance?

Cultural psychology research question examples

The premise of this branch of psychology is that mind and culture are inseparable. In other words, people are shaped by their cultures, and their cultures are shaped by them. This can be a complex interaction.

Cultural psychology is vital as it explores how cultural context shapes individuals’ thoughts, behaviors, and perceptions. It provides insights into diverse perspectives, promoting cross-cultural understanding and reducing biases.

Here are some ideas that you might consider researching:

56. Are there cultural differences in how people perceive and deal with pain?

57. Are different cultures at increased risk of developing mental health conditions?

58. Are there cultural differences in coping strategies for stress?

59. Do our different cultures shape our personalities?

60. How does multi-generational culture influence family values and structure?

Health psychology research question examples

Health psychology is a crucial field of study. Understanding how psychological factors influence health behaviors, adherence to medical treatments, and overall wellness enables health experts to develop effective interventions and preventive measures, ultimately improving health outcomes.

Health psychology also aids in managing stress, promoting healthy behaviors, and optimizing mental health, fostering a holistic approach to well-being.

Here are five ideas to inspire research in this field:

61. How can health psychology interventions improve lifestyle behaviors to prevent cardiovascular diseases?

62. What role do social norms play in vaping among adolescents?

63. What role do personality traits play in the development and management of chronic pain conditions?

64. How do cultural beliefs and attitudes influence health-seeking behaviors in diverse populations?

65. What are the psychological factors influencing the adherence to preventive health behaviors, such as vaccination and regular screenings?

Neuropsychology research paper question examples

Neuropsychology research explores how a person’s cognition and behavior are related to their brain and nervous system. Researchers aim to advance the diagnosis and treatment of behavioral and cognitive effects of neurological disorders.

Researchers may work with children facing learning or developmental challenges, or with adults with declining cognitive abilities. They may also focus on injuries or illnesses of the brain, such as traumatic brain injuries, to determine the effect on cognitive and behavioral functions.

Neuropsychology informs diagnosis and treatment strategies for conditions such as dementia, traumatic brain injuries, and psychiatric disorders. Understanding the neural basis of behavior enhances our ability to optimize cognitive functioning, rehabilitate people with brain injuries, and improve patient care.

Here are some example research questions to consider:

66. How do neurotransmitter imbalances in specific brain regions contribute to mood disorders such as depression?

67. How can a traumatic brain injury affect memory?

68. What neural processes underlie attention deficits in people with ADHD?

69. Do medications affect the brain differently after a traumatic brain injury?

70. What are the behavioral effects of prolonged brain swelling?

Psychology of religion research question examples

The psychology of religion is a field that studies the interplay between belief systems, spirituality, and mental well-being. It explores the application of the psychological methods and interpretive frameworks of religious traditions and how they relate to both religious and non-religious people.

Psychology of religion research contributes to a holistic understanding of human experiences. It fosters cultural competence and guides therapeutic approaches that respect diverse spiritual beliefs.

Here are some example research questions in this field:

71. What impact does a religious upbringing have on a child’s self-esteem?

72. How do religious beliefs shape decision-making and perceptions of morality?

73. What is the impact of religious indoctrination?

74. Is there correlation between religious and mindfulness practices?

75. How does religious affiliation impact attitudes towards mental health treatment and help-seeking behaviors?

Controversial topics in psychology research question examples

Some psychology topics don’t fit into any of the subcategories above, but they may still be worthwhile topics to consider. These topics are the ones that spark interest, conversation, debate, and disagreement. They are often inspired by current issues and assess the validity of older research.

Consider some of these research question examples:

76. How does the rise in on-screen violence impact behavior in adolescents.

77. Should access to social media platforms be restricted in children under the age of 12 to improve mental health?

78. Are prescription mental health medications over-prescribed in older adults? If so, what are the effects of this?

79. Cognitive biases in AI: what are the implications for decision-making?

80. What are the psychological and ethical implications of using virtual reality in exposure therapy for treating trauma-related conditions?

Inspiration for your next psychology research project

You can choose from a diverse range of research questions that intersect and overlap across various specialties.

From cognitive psychology to clinical studies, each inquiry contributes to a deeper understanding of the human mind and behavior. Importantly, the relevance of these questions transcends individual disciplines, as many findings offer insights applicable across multiple areas of study.

As health trends evolve and societal needs shift, new topics emerge, fueling continual exploration and discovery. Diving into this ever-changing and expanding area of study enables you to navigate the complexities of the human experience and pave the way for innovative solutions to the challenges of tomorrow.

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207 Mental Health Research Topics For Top Students

College and university students pursuing psychology studies must write research papers on mental health in their studies. It is not always an exciting moment for the students since getting quality mental health topics is tedious. However, this article presents expert ideas and writing tips for students in this field. Enjoy!

What Is Mental Health?

It is an integral component of health that deals with the feeling of well-being when one realizes his or her abilities, cope with the pressures of life, and productively work. Mental health also incorporates how humans interact with each other, emote, or think. It is a vital concern of any human life that cannot be neglected.

How To Write Mental Health Research Topics

One should approach the subject of mental health with utmost preciseness. If handled carelessly, cases such as depression, suicide or low self-esteem may occur. That is why students are advised to carefully choose mental health research paper topics for their paper with the mind reader.

To get mental health topics for research paper, you can use the following sources:

The WHO website
Websites of renowned psychology clinics
News reports and headlines.

However, we have a list of writing ideas that you can use for your inspiration. Check them out!

Mental Illness Research Questions

The role of antidepressant medicines in treating mental illnesses
How taxation of alcoholic beverages and their restriction can help in curbing mental illnesses
The impact of mental illnesses on the economic development of a country
Efficient and cost-effective ways of treating mental illnesses
Early childhood interventions to prevent future mental illnesses
Why children from single-parent families are prone to mental illnesses
Do opportunities for early learning have a role in curbing mental diseases?
Life skills programmes that everyone should embrace to fight mental illnesses
The role of nutrition and diet in causing mental illness
How socio-economic empowerment of women can help promote mental health
Practical social support for elderly populations to prevent mental illnesses
How to help vulnerable groups against mental illnesses
Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health promotional activities in schools

Hot Mental Health Topics For Research

Do stress prevention programmes on TV work?
The role of anti-discrimination laws and campaigns in promoting mental health
Discuss specific psychological and personality factors leading to mental disorders
How can biological factors lead to mental problems?
How stressful work conditions can stir up mental health disorders
Is physical ill-health a pivotal contributor to mental disorders today?
Why sexual violence has led many to depression and suicide
The role of life experiences in mental illnesses: A case of trauma
How family history can lead to mental health problems
Can people with mental health problems recover entirely?
Why sleeping too much or minor can be an indicator of mental disorders.
Why do people with mental health problems pull away from others?
Discuss confusion as a sign of mental disorders

Research Topics For Mental Health Counseling

Counselling strategies that help victims cope with the stresses of life
Is getting professional counselling help becoming too expensive?
Mental health counselling for bipolar disorders
How psychological counselling affects victims of mental health disorders
What issues are students free to share with their guiding and counselling masters?
Why are relationship issues the most prevalent among teenagers?
Does counselling help in the case of obsessive-compulsive disorders?
Is counselling a cure to mental health problems?
Why talking therapies are the most effective in dealing with mental disorders
How does talking about your experiences help in dealing with the problem?
Why most victims approach their counsellors feeling apprehensive and nervous
How to make a patient feel comfortable during a counselling session
Why counsellors should not push patients to talk about stuff they aren’t ready to share

Mental Health Law Research Topics

Discuss the effectiveness of the Americans with Disabilities Act
Does the Capacity to Consent to Treatment law push patients to the wall?
Evaluate the effectiveness of mental health courts
Does forcible medication lead to severe mental health problems?
Discuss the institutionalization of mental health facilities
Analyze the Consent to Clinical Research using mentally ill patients
What rights do mentally sick patients have? Are they effective?
Critically analyze proxy decision making for mental disorders
Why some Psychiatric Advance directives are punitive
Discuss the therapeutic jurisprudence of mental disorders
How effective is legal guardianship in the case of mental disorders?
Discuss psychology laws & licensing boards in the United States
Evaluate state insanity defence laws

Controversial Research Paper Topics About Mental Health

Do mentally ill patients have a right to choose whether to go to psychiatric centres or not?
Should families take the elderly to mental health institutions?
Does the doctor have the right to end the life of a terminally ill mental patient?
The use of euthanasia among extreme cases of mental health
Are mental disorders a result of curses and witchcraft?
Do violent video games make children aggressive and uncontrollable?
Should mental institutions be located outside the cities?
How often should families visit their relatives who are mentally ill?
Why the government should fully support the mentally ill
Should mental health clinics use pictures of patients without their consent?
Should families pay for the care of mentally ill relatives?
Do mentally ill patients have the right to marry or get married?
Who determines when to send a patient to a mental health facility?

Mental Health Topics For Discussion

The role of drama and music in treating mental health problems
Explore new ways of coping with mental health problems in the 21 st century
How social media is contributing to various mental health problems
Does Yoga and meditation help to treat mental health complications?
Is the mental health curriculum for psychology students inclusive enough?
Why solving problems as a family can help alleviate mental health disorders
Why teachers can either maintain or disrupt the mental state of their students
Should patients with mental health issues learn to live with their problems?
Why socializing is difficult for patients with mental disorders
Are our online psychology clinics effective in handling mental health issues?
Discuss why people aged 18-25 are more prone to mental health problems
Analyze the growing trend of social stigma in the United States
Are all people with mental health disorders violent and dangerous?

Mental Health Of New Mothers Research Topics

The role of mental disorders in mother-infant bonding
How mental health issues could lead to delays in the emotional development of the infant
The impact of COVID-19 physical distancing measures on postpartum women
Why anxiety and depression are associated with preterm delivery
The role of husbands in attending to wives’ postpartum care needs
What is the effectiveness of screening for postpartum depression?
The role of resilience in dealing with mental issues after delivery
Why marginalized women are more prone to postpartum depression
Why failure to bond leads to mental disorders among new mothers
Discuss how low and middle-income countries contribute to perinatal depression
How to prevent the recurrence of postpartum mental disorders in future
The role of anti-depression drugs in dealing with depression among new mothers
A case study of the various healthcare interventions for perinatal anxiety and mood disorders

What Are The Hot Topics For Mental Health Research Today

Discuss why mental health problems may be a result of a character flaw
The impact of damaging stereotypes in mental health
Why are many people reluctant to speak about their mental health issues?
Why the society tends to judge people with mental issues
Does alcohol and wasting health help one deal with a mental problem?
Discuss the role of bullying in causing mental health disorders among students
Why open forums in school and communities can help in curbing mental disorders
How to build healthy relationships that can help in solving mental health issues
Discuss frustration and lack of understanding in relationships
The role of a stable and supportive family in preventing mental disorders
How parents can start mental health conversations with their children
Analyze the responsibilities of the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
The role of a positive mind in dealing with psychological problems

Good Research Topics On Refugees Mental Health

Why do refugees find themselves under high levels of stress?
Discuss the modalities of looking after the mental health of refugees
Evaluate the importance of a cultural framework in helping refugees with mental illnesses
How refugee camp administrators can help identify mental health disorders among refugees
Discuss the implications of dangerous traditional practices
The role of the UNHCR in assisting refugees with mental problems
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder among refugees
Dealing with hopelessness among refugees
The prevalence of traumatic experiences in refugee camps
Does cognitive-behavioural therapy work for refugees?
Discuss the role of policy planning in dealing with refugee-mental health problems
Are psychiatry and psychosomatic medicine effective in refugee camps?
Practical groups and in‐group therapeutic settings for refugee camps

Adolescent Mental Health Research Topics

Discuss why suicide is among the leading causes of death among adolescents
The role of acting-out behaviour or substance use in mental issues among adolescents
Mental effects of unsafe sexual behaviour among adolescents
Psychopharmacologic agents and menstrual dysfunction in adolescents
The role of confidentiality in preventive care visits
Mental health disorders and impairment among adolescents
Why adolescents not in school risk developing mental disorders
Does a clinical model work for adolescents with mental illnesses?
The role of self-worth and esteem in dealing with adolescent mental disorders
How to develop positive relationships with peers
Technology and mental ill-health among adolescents
How to deal with stigma among adolescents
Curriculum that supports young people to stay engaged and motivated

Research Topics For Mental Health And Government

Evaluate mental health leadership and governance in the United States
Advocacy and partnerships in dealing with mental health
Discuss mental health and socio-cultural perspective
Management and coordination of mental health policy frameworks
Roles and responsibilities of governments in dealing with mental health
Monitoring and evaluation of mental health policies
What is the essence of a mental health commission?
Benefits of mental well-being to the prosperity of a country
Necessary reforms to the mental health systems
Legal frameworks for dealing with substance use disorders
How mental health can impede the development of a country
The role of the government in dealing with decaying mental health institutions
Inadequate legislation in dealing with mental health problems

Abnormal Psychology Topics

What does it mean to display strange behaviour?
Role of mental health professionals in dealing with abnormal psychology
Discuss the concept of dysfunction in mental illness
How does deviance relate to mental illness?
Role of culture and social norms
The cost of treating abnormal psychology in the US
Using aversive treatment in abnormal psychology
Importance of psychological debriefing
Is addiction a mental disease?
Use of memory-dampening drugs
Coercive interrogations and psychology

Behavioural Health Issues In Mental Health

Detachment from reality
Inability to withstand daily problems
Conduct disorder among children
Role of therapy in behavioural disorders
Eating and drinking habits and mental health
Addictive behaviour patterns for teenagers in high school
Discuss mental implications of gambling and sex addiction
Impact of maladaptive behaviours on the society
Extreme mood changes
Confused thinking
Role of friends in behavioural complications
Spiritual leaders in helping deal with behavioural issues
Suicidal thoughts

Latest Psychology Research Topics

Discrimination and prejudice in a society
Impact of negative social cognition
Role of personal perceptions
How attitudes affect mental well-being
Effects of cults on cognitive behaviour
Marketing and psychology
How romance can distort normal cognitive functioning
Why people with pro-social behaviour may be less affected
Leadership and mental health
Discuss how to deal with anti-social personality disorders
Coping with phobias in school
The role of group therapy
Impact of dreams on one’s psychological behaviour

Professional Psychiatry Research Topics

The part of false memories
Media and stress disorders
Impact of gender roles
Role of parenting styles
Age and psychology
The biography of Harry Harlow
Career paths in psychology
Dissociative disorders
Dealing with paranoia
Delusions and their remedy
A distorted perception of reality
Rights of mental caregivers
Dealing with a loss
Handling a break-up

Consider using our expert research paper writing services for your mental health paper today. Satisfaction is guaranteed!

The Top 10 Most Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

In the United States, the majority of people have been diagnosed with at least one mental disorder. Once considered shameful, mental health issues are now being discussed more openly through various online platforms, such as the best mental health podcasts and blogs, which have made information more accessible. As a result, more people are seeking forms of mental healthcare and researchers are learning even more.

While research on mental health has come a long way, there is still a long way to go in destigmatizing mental health conditions and spreading mental health awareness. If you are looking for mental health research paper topics and are struggling to narrow down your list, take a look at the top 10 most interesting mental health research topics to help get you started.

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What makes a strong mental health research topic.

The best way for you to develop a strong mental health research topic is by first having a specific and well-defined area of interest. Your research topic should provide a clear and simple roadmap to help you focus your research paper. Additionally, consider your audience and the topic’s significance within the mental health field. What does it contribute?

Tips for Choosing a Mental Health Research Topic

Choose a topic that is interesting to you. You may be writing to share your findings with your peers, but your topic should excite you first and foremost. You will spend a significant amount of time on it, so it should be work you are eager to dive into.
Choose a fresh approach. There is an extensive amount of mental health research conducted by mental health professionals. Use your research skills to choose a topic that does more than just restate the same facts and information. Say something that hasn’t been said before.
Choose a topic that matters. The topic you choose should make a contribution to all the mental health education and research that already exists. Approach your topic in a way that ensures that it’s of significance within the field.
Choose a topic that challenges you. A sure-fire way to find out if your topic meets the criteria of being interesting, fresh, and significant, is if it challenges you. If it’s too easy, then there must be enough research available on it. If it’s too difficult, it’s likely unmanageable.
Choose a topic that’s manageable. You should aim to choose a topic that is narrow enough in its focus that it doesn’t overwhelm you. Consider what’s feasible for you to dedicate to the research in terms of resources and time.

What’s the Difference Between a Research Topic and a Research Question?

The purpose of a research topic is to let the reader know what specific area of mental health research your paper will focus on. It is the territory upon which your research paper is based. Defining your topic is typically the initial step of any research project.

A research question, on the other hand, narrows down the scope of your research and provides a framework for the study and its objectives. It is based on the research topic and written in the form of a question that the research paper aims to answer. It provides the reader with a clear idea of what’s to be expected from the research.

How to Create Strong Mental Health Research Questions

To create a strong research question, you need to consider what will help guide the direction your research takes. It is an important part of the process and requires strong research methods . A strong research question clearly defines your work’s specific focus and lets your audience know exactly what question you intend to answer through your research.

2. The Psychology of Gender Identity, Inclusivity, and Diversity

With the conversations surrounding gender and identity in recent times, a research topic on the psychology of gender identity, inclusivity, and diversity is a good option. Our understanding of gender now, in the 21st century, has evolved and gender identity has become non-binary, more inclusive, and more diverse.

3. The Psychological Effects of Social Phobia on Undergraduate Students

Some of the most common mental illnesses in the United States are phobias, so the topic of the psychology and effects of phobias is interesting and relevant to the majority of people. There are various categories of phobias that have been identified by the American Psychiatric Association that you could choose to focus on.

4. Eating Disorders Among Teenagers and Adolescents

Eating disorders among teenagers and adolescents in the United States are prevalent, especially among young women. The statistics surrounding mental health issues show that 10 in 100 young women suffer from eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia, as well as a preoccupation with food and body dysmorphia.

5. The Correlation Between Childhood Learning Disabilities and Mental Health Problems in Adulthood

When groups of people with learning disorders (LD) were compared with groups that had no known history of LD, a correlation between childhood LD and mental health issues in adulthood was found. This research is important because it helps us to understand how childhood LD increases mental health risks in adulthood and affects emotional development.

6. How Mental Disorder is Glamorized and Sensationalized in Modern Media

Shows and movies centered around the depiction of mental illness have become more popular in recent years. The portrayal of characters with mental illnesses can often be damaging and fail to take into account the complexities of mental disorders, which often leads to stigmatization and discrimination, and a reluctance to seek mental health care.

7. The Relationship Between Self-esteem and Suicide Rates Among Adolescents

A relationship between self-esteem and suicide rates among adolescents has been found when looking into their suicidal tendencies. This is more so the case with any individual who already suffers from a mental health issue. Low self-esteem has been linked to increased levels of depression and suicide ideation, leading to higher chances of suicide attempts among adolescents.

8. Destigmatizing Mental Illness and Mental Disorders

The rates at which people are diagnosed with mental illnesses are high. Even so, their portrayal in the media has resulted in the belief that those who suffer from a mental health issue or live in mental health facilities are dangerous. Conducting research on abnormal psychology topics and destigmatizing mental illness and mental disorders is important for mental health education.

9. Psychological Trauma and the Effects of Childhood Sexual Abuse

Mental health statistics show that most abuse happens in childhood, causing long-lasting psychological trauma. The type of trauma caused by child abuse and childhood sexual abuse affects development in infants and children. It has been linked to higher levels of depression, anxiety, guilt, sexual issues, dissociative patterns, and relationship issues, to name a few.

10. Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Psychological Well-Being

There is no doubt about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and COVID-19 confinement on psychological well-being. The threat to public health, the social and economic stresses, and the various reactions by governments and individuals have all caused unexpected mental health challenges. This has affected behaviors, perceptions, and the ways in which people make decisions.

Mental Health Research Questions

Are digital therapy sessions as impactful as face-to-face therapy sessions for patients?
What are the best methods for effectively using social media to unite and connect all those suffering from a mental health issue in order to reduce their isolation?
What causes self-destructive behavior in some children?
Can introducing mental health topics in the school curriculum help to create understanding and reduce the stigmatization of mental disorders?
What are the most effective methods to improve brain health and emotional intelligence as we go through the aging process?

Choosing the Right Mental Health Research Topic

When choosing the right mental health research question, it is essential to figure out what single issue you want to focus on within the broader topic of mental conditions. The narrower your scope, the easier it will be to conduct thorough and relevant research. Vagueness can lead to information overload and a lack of clear direction.

However, even though it needs to be specific, your research question must also be complex enough to allow you to develop your research. If it’s too narrow in its focus, you won’t give yourself enough room to flesh out your findings as you build on your research. The key is to find the middle ground between the two.

Mental Health Research Topics FAQ

A mental disorder refers to any of the various conditions that affect and alter our behavior, thoughts, and emotions. More than half of Americans get diagnosed with a mental disorder at some point in their lives. They are common and manageable with the right support. Some mental illnesses are occasional, such as postpartum depression, while others are long-term, such as panic attacks.

Mental health research raises awareness of mental health disorders and promotes mental health care. It provides support and evidence for the effectiveness of mental health services and programs designed for psychiatric patients and those with mental health disorders. The information provided by the research helps us better understand mental illnesses and how best to approach treatment plans.

Behavioral health and emotional health are part of a person’s overall mental health since they are all interlinked and each one affects the other. When we speak of mental health, we are referring to behavioral, cognitive, and emotional well-being, which can also affect physical health.

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5), the five main categories of mental illness include dementia, mood disorders such as bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, feeding and eating disorders, and personality disorders such as obsessive-compulsive disorder.

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Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Exploring the wide array of mental health research paper topics can be an enriching experience for students studying health sciences. This subject matter is not only relevant but is also critically important in today’s context, given the rising prevalence of mental health issues in society. In this guide, we will navigate through a comprehensive list of potential topics, categorized into ten major areas of mental health. Additionally, this page provides expert advice on how to choose and delve into these topics effectively, as well as guidance on constructing a well-written mental health research paper. As a supplementary service, we also present iResearchNet’s professional writing offerings. iResearchNet specializes in providing students with high-quality, custom-written research papers on any topic of their choice. With a potent combination of expert degree-holding writers, meticulous research, and adherence to the highest standards of academic integrity, iResearchNet offers unparalleled support to students aiming to excel in their academic endeavors.

100 Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Embarking on the exploration of mental health research paper topics presents an incredible opportunity to delve into diverse areas of study and reveal intriguing insights. From understanding the human psyche to unraveling the intricate workings of various mental disorders, this domain offers a wide array of research avenues. In this section, we present a comprehensive list of 100 mental health research paper topics, neatly organized into ten major categories. This catalog is designed to cater to different interests, offer fresh perspectives, and stimulate thought-provoking discussions.

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The impact of social media on mental health
The psychological effects of bullying
Role of personality traits in mental health
Nature vs. nurture debate in psychology
Psychological effects of long-term stress
The role of psychology in pain management
The impact of sleep disorders on mental health
Effects of meditation on mental health
The psychology of decision-making
Understanding cognitive biases
Impact of parenting styles on children’s mental health
Childhood trauma and its long-term effects
Understanding Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
The role of school environments in child mental health
Adolescent depression: Causes and effects
The impact of divorce on children
Childhood Autism Spectrum Disorders
Eating disorders in adolescents
Impact of physical activity on children’s mental health
Childhood anxiety disorders
Impacts of work stress on mental health
Understanding Bipolar Disorder
Adult PTSD and its management
Role of exercise in mental health maintenance
The link between adult obesity and mental health
Alcoholism and its mental health implications
Understanding Schizophrenia
Mental health impacts of sexual assault
The effect of childlessness on mental health
The role of religion and spirituality in mental health
Mental health issues in aging population
Understanding Alzheimer’s Disease
Role of family in elder mental health
Depression in the elderly
Cognitive decline in aging: Prevention and management
The impact of retirement on mental health
Mental health effects of elder abuse
The role of social interactions in elder mental health
Understanding Parkinson’s Disease
Dementia and mental health
Global mental health policies: A comparative analysis
Role of mental health legislation in patient rights
Impact of health insurance policies on mental health services
Mental health in prisons: Policy implications
The impact of mental health stigma on policy making
Mental health policies in schools
Workplace mental health policies
Mental health parity laws
Policy implications of mental health in homelessness
Impact of COVID-19 on mental health policies
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in mental health
Role of medication in mental health treatment
Efficacy of group therapy in mental health
Role of art therapy in mental health treatment
Understanding Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
The role of lifestyle changes in mental health treatment
Psychodynamic therapy in mental health
The use of virtual reality in mental health treatment
Mindfulness-based therapies in mental health
Role of family therapy in mental health treatment
Understanding personality disorders
The psychopathology of addiction
Eating disorders: Causes, impacts, and treatments
Psychopathology of self-harm behaviors
Understanding anxiety disorders
The psychopathology of suicidal behavior
Psychopathology of mood disorders
Understanding obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD)
The psychopathology of paranoia and delusional disorders
Impact of traumatic experiences on psychopathology
Impact of job satisfaction on mental health
Role of organizational culture in employee mental health
Mental health implications of job burnout
The role of work-life balance in mental health
Understanding the concept of ‘Blue Monday’
Mental health implications of remote work
The role of employee assistance programs in mental health
Mental health effects of workplace harassment
Impact of job insecurity on mental health
The role of workplace wellness programs in mental health
Cross-cultural perspectives on mental health
The impact of cultural stigma on mental health outcomes
Cultural variations in mental health treatments
Understanding mental health in indigenous populations
Mental health impacts of acculturation
The role of cultural competence in mental health services
Culture-bound syndromes
Impact of cultural beliefs on mental health
Role of language in mental health contexts
Cross-cultural communication in mental health care
Role of schools in mental health education
Impact of mental health literacy on outcomes
The role of media in mental health education
Mental health promotion in communities
Importance of mental health education in medical curricula
The role of peer educators in mental health promotion
Impact of stigma reduction campaigns on mental health
The role of mental health first aid
The use of technology in mental health education
Mental health education for parents

As we culminate this extensive list of mental health research paper topics, it is essential to remember that each topic presents a unique chance to broaden our understanding of mental health and contribute to this important field. As aspiring health science students, you have the power to make a difference in enhancing mental health awareness and outcomes. As you traverse this exciting journey, always remember that research is not merely a pursuit of knowledge, but a powerful tool for instigating change. Embrace the opportunity with curiosity, passion, and determination, and let your research pave the way for a mentally healthier world.

Choosing Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Choosing a compelling and relevant mental health research paper topic is crucial for creating a meaningful and impactful study. To assist you in this process, we have gathered expert advice from professionals in the field of mental health research. Consider the following ten tips to guide you in selecting an engaging and significant topic for your research:

Identify Current Mental Health Issues : Stay updated on the latest developments and trends in mental health research. Explore current issues, emerging challenges, and unanswered questions within the field. This will help you select a topic that is relevant, timely, and has the potential for making a meaningful contribution.
Reflect on Personal Interests : Consider your own passions and interests within the broad field of mental health. Reflect on the areas that resonate with you the most. Researching a topic that you are genuinely interested in will fuel your motivation and dedication throughout the research process.
Consult Academic Journals and Publications : Explore reputable academic journals and publications dedicated to mental health research. Reading articles and studies within your area of interest will provide insights into existing research gaps, ongoing debates, and potential areas for further exploration.
Analyze Existing Literature : Conduct a thorough literature review to identify key themes, theories, and research findings in your chosen area of mental health. Understanding the current body of knowledge will help you narrow down your research focus and identify research gaps that need to be addressed.
Consider the Population of Interest : Mental health research encompasses various populations, such as children, adolescents, adults, or specific demographic groups. Consider the population you want to focus on and explore their unique mental health challenges, interventions, or outcomes.
Examine Cultural and Social Factors : Mental health is influenced by cultural and social factors. Investigate how cultural norms, societal expectations, or environmental contexts impact mental health outcomes. Understanding these factors will add depth and richness to your research.
Think Interdisciplinary : Mental health is a multidisciplinary field that intersects with psychology, sociology, neuroscience, public health, and more. Consider integrating perspectives from other disciplines to gain a comprehensive understanding of mental health issues and approaches to addressing them.
Explore Innovative Interventions and Technologies : Investigate novel interventions, therapies, or technologies that are emerging in the field of mental health. Exploring innovative approaches can lead to exciting research opportunities and contribute to advancements in mental health care.
Address Stigmatized or Understudied Topics : Mental health encompasses a wide range of conditions and experiences, some of which may be stigmatized or underrepresented in research. Consider topics that address the mental health needs of marginalized populations or shed light on less-discussed mental health conditions.
Seek Guidance and Collaboration : Consult with your professors, mentors, or peers who specialize in mental health research. Seek their guidance in selecting a research topic and consider opportunities for collaboration. Collaborative research can provide valuable insights and support throughout the research process.

By incorporating these expert tips into your topic selection process, you can choose a mental health research paper topic that is not only academically rigorous but also personally meaningful. Remember to strike a balance between your interests, the existing body of knowledge, and the potential for making a significant impact in the field of mental health research. With a well-chosen topic, you will embark on a rewarding research journey that contributes to the understanding and well-being of individuals with mental health concerns.

How to Write a Mental Health Research Paper

Writing a mental health research paper requires careful planning, critical thinking, and effective communication of your findings. To help you navigate this process successfully, we have compiled ten essential tips to guide you in crafting a well-structured and impactful paper:

Define Your Research Question : Begin by clearly defining your research question or objective. This will serve as the foundation for your paper, guiding your literature review, methodology, and analysis.
Conduct a Thorough Literature Review : Familiarize yourself with existing research and theories related to your topic through a comprehensive literature review. This will help you identify gaps in the literature, build on existing knowledge, and situate your research within the broader context of mental health.
Select an Appropriate Methodology : Choose a research methodology that aligns with your research question and objectives. Consider whether qualitative, quantitative, or mixed-method approaches are best suited for your study. Justify your choice and outline your methodology clearly.
Ethical Considerations : Ensure that your research adheres to ethical guidelines and protects the rights and well-being of participants. Obtain necessary approvals from ethical review boards and maintain confidentiality and anonymity when reporting your findings.
Collect and Analyze Data : Collect data using appropriate methods, whether through surveys, interviews, observations, or existing datasets. Analyze your data using sound statistical techniques or qualitative analysis methods, depending on your research design.
Structure Your Paper : Organize your mental health research paper into sections, including an introduction, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion. Use headings and subheadings to clearly delineate each section and guide the reader through your paper.
Craft a Compelling Introduction : Begin your paper with an engaging introduction that captures the reader’s attention and provides the necessary background information. Clearly state your research question, the significance of your study, and the gaps you aim to address.
Interpret Your Findings : In the results section, present your findings objectively and concisely. Use tables, graphs, or figures to enhance clarity and provide a comprehensive overview of your results. Interpret your findings in light of your research question and existing literature.
Engage in a Thoughtful Discussion : In the discussion section, critically analyze and interpret your results, discussing their implications for theory, practice, and future research. Compare your findings with previous studies and identify areas of agreement or divergence.
Conclude with Key Takeaways : Summarize your main findings, restate the significance of your study, and discuss potential avenues for further research. Highlight the contributions your research makes to the field of mental health and offer practical implications for mental health professionals or policymakers.

Additional Tips:

Use clear and concise language, avoiding jargon whenever possible. Define any technical terms or acronyms for clarity.
Properly cite all sources using a recognized citation style, such as APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard, to give credit to the original authors and avoid plagiarism.
Seek feedback from professors, mentors, or peers to refine your writing and ensure the clarity and coherence of your paper.
Revise and edit your paper multiple times to polish your arguments, improve sentence structure, and eliminate grammatical errors.

By following these tips, you can confidently navigate the process of writing a mental health research paper. Remember to maintain a logical flow, support your arguments with evidence, and engage in critical analysis to contribute to the understanding and advancement of mental health research.

iResearchNet’s Custom Writing Services

At iResearchNet, we understand the unique challenges that students face when writing a mental health research paper. We are dedicated to providing comprehensive writing services that cater specifically to the needs of health sciences students like you. Here are thirteen features that set us apart and ensure your research paper’s success:

Expert Degree-Holding Writers : Our team of writers consists of highly qualified professionals with advanced degrees in mental health and related fields. They have the expertise and knowledge necessary to tackle complex research topics and produce high-quality papers.
Custom Written Works : We believe in originality and customization. Each mental health research paper we deliver is custom-written from scratch to meet your specific requirements and adhere to your instructions. We guarantee plagiarism-free and unique content.
In-Depth Research : Our writers conduct thorough and in-depth research on your chosen mental health topic to ensure the accuracy, relevance, and comprehensiveness of your paper. They have access to a vast array of scholarly resources and stay updated on the latest research in the field.
Custom Formatting : We understand the importance of following specific formatting styles. Whether you require APA, MLA, Chicago/Turabian, or Harvard formatting, our writers are well-versed in these styles and will ensure that your paper meets the required standards.
Top Quality Assurance : We have a stringent quality assurance process in place to guarantee the highest standards of excellence. Our dedicated team of editors and proofreaders carefully review each mental health research paper for grammar, clarity, coherence, and adherence to academic standards.
Customized Solutions : We recognize that every mental health research paper is unique. Our services are tailored to your specific needs, ensuring that we address your research question, objectives, and desired outcomes. We work closely with you to customize our approach and deliver a paper that aligns with your academic goals.
Flexible Pricing : We understand the financial constraints that students face. Our pricing options are designed to be flexible and affordable while maintaining the quality of our services. We offer competitive rates and transparent pricing, ensuring that you receive value for your investment.
Short Deadlines : We are equipped to handle urgent requests and short deadlines. If you require your mental health research paper in a tight timeframe, we can accommodate deadlines as short as three hours without compromising on quality or accuracy.
Timely Delivery : We recognize the importance of meeting deadlines. Our writers and support staff are committed to delivering your mental health research paper on time, allowing you sufficient time for review and any necessary revisions.
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Mental health research topics are becoming increasingly important in our society today. With the rise of mental disorders such as depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), it is essential for students to understand the causes and effects of these conditions. Researching mental health can help us prevent and treat these illnesses before it's not too late.

That's why our paper writers curated this list compiling mental health research paper topics and ideas spanning various aspects. From psychological disorders to the role of society in mental health and therapeutic strategies, we covered 250 top mental health topics to write about. So, if you’re looking for help on starting your next mental health project, this list will provide you with the best ideas.

What Are Mental Health Research Topics?

Mental health research topics focus on understanding the causes, effects, and treatment of mental illnesses. It is important for students to explore these topics as they can help us understand how psychological disorders develop. This, in turn, allows us to optimize our treatment strategies. Researching mental health can also help us form healthier habits and lifestyles that promote positive mental health.

Characteristics of Good Mental Health Research Topics

How well you understand the theme characteristics can either make or break your research project. That's why, before you choose any mental health research topic, it is important to consider the features that make it good. Make sure your research topic about mental health meets the criteria listed below:

Relevant Give preference to topic ideas that are relevant to the current trends in society.
Interesting Find a topic you can approach from various angles while maintaining your engagement in research.
Feasible Ensure that the idea can be researched in a reasonable amount of time.
Original Try to pick between original mental health research questions and take a unique approach when investigating a certain aspect.
Accessible Make sure you have access to enough resources and data to complete your research.

How to Choose a Mental Health Research Topic?

Narrowing down your choices can be an intimidating process. To make it easier for you, we’ve rendered some secrets that will help you select the right research topic about mental health:

Brainstorm Try to come up with as many ideas as possible by writing them out on paper or creating a mind map.
Analyze your ideas Once you have a list of mental health project ideas, analyze each one and decide which ones are more appropriate for your research.
Explore further Certain topics may require extra research before settling on them. Make sure to look for relevant studies and determine whether you have enough time to run your research.
Seek consultation Sometimes you may just miss out something important. Discuss your ideas with your peers, professors, or online research paper writers to get constructive feedback.
Refine After getting input from others, polish your research topic idea further before committing to it.

Hopefully, these tips will help you select the best research topics on mental health and start your exploration on the right note. Let’s now move forward to the actual ideas.

List of Mental Health Research Paper Topics

Below you will find a unique collection of hot mental health research paper topics. Designed to inspire students, budding researchers, and knowledge seekers, this list of ideas will surely be helpful.

The impact of socioeconomic status on mental health conditions.
Exploring the role of social media in mental illness.
Analyze how trauma affects mental health.
Investigating stress management strategies for anxiety disorders.
Impact of sleep disorders on mental health.
Art therapy: A non-traditional approach to emotional health.
The relationship between childhood trauma and adult mental health.
The role of genetics in mental health disorders.
Understanding the psychology of eating disorders.
The interplay of physical activity and mental health.
The psychological impact of chronic diseases.
Internet addiction and its psychological implications.
Comparative analysis of Western and Eastern mental health practices.
Suicide prevention strategies in youth.
The role of AI and technology in emotional health care.
A closer look at post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The intersection of mental health and homelessness.
The efficacy of animal-assisted therapy in emotional wellbeing.
The role of culture in mental health treatment.
Exploring the link between mental illness and substance abuse.

Good Mental Health Research Topics

Below we’ve put together a list of good research topics about mental health worth your attention. Take a look and you may find the perfect topic to inspire your next project:

Nature vs. Nurture: The origins of emotional wellbeing disturbance.
Effectiveness of virtual therapy in treating depression.
Investigating anxiety management strategies through mindfulness.
Understanding the psychological effects of online harassment.
The growing mental health crisis in young adults.
Exploring the influence of family relationships on mental health.
Investigating the role of exercise in reducing stress.
How climate change influences emotional wellness.
Assessing the role of financial stress in psychological illness.
Examining the need for improving healthcare systems related to mental health.
The Influence of social media on teenage mental health.
Exploring the connection between mental illness and addiction.
Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) in treating anxiety.
The impact of social isolation on mental wellness.
Understanding the impacts of racism on emotional wellbeing.

Interesting Mental Health Research Topics

Sometimes all you need is a spark of inspiration. If that’s the case for you, then take a look at these captivating topics about mental health:

Exploring the impacts of divorce on mental health.
Examining the role of good nutrition in emotional wellbeing.
An analysis of the impact of unemployment on mental illness.
Impact of taxation policies on emotional wellness.
Analyzing the role of online support groups in mental health care.
Investigating the stigma of mental health in universities.
The need for better communication strategies in treating psychological illness.
Analyze the impact of occupational stress on mental wellbeing.
Examine how social exclusion affects emotional wellness.
The growing need for mental health education in schools.
Understanding the importance of parental support for emotional stability.
The role of financial literacy in reducing psychological distress.
Investigating the effectiveness of aromatherapy for stress relief.
Analyzing the use of peer counseling in mental health care.
Exploring new technologies for mental health diagnosis.

Unique Mental Health Research Topics

Ready for something more authentic? Take a look at these research paper topics about mental health and give them your best shot:

Examining the need for gender-sensitive mental health care.
Exploring the impacts of physical disability on emotional wellbeing.
The use of digital technology for mental health awareness.
Analyzing the impact of video gaming on psychological health.
Exploring the efficacy of yoga and meditation in treating depression.
The importance of early identification and treatment of mental illness.
Examining the need for mental health support among LGBTQ+ individuals.
Are alternative therapies effective in treating distress?
Exploring the links between pet ownership and emotional stability.
Use of music therapy in treating anxiety disorders.
Exploring the psychological effects of noise pollution.
Investigating the effectiveness of online forums in emotional health therapy.
Examining the impacts of aging on mental health.
How does cognitive restructuring benefit emotional wellbeing?
The role of herbal remedies in managing psychological distress.

Best Mental Health Research Topics

Are you looking for the very best mental health topics for research papers or projects? We’ve got you covered! Take a look at these amazing ideas to get inspired:

The need for social acceptance in treating psychological disorders.
How do friendships help in managing stress?
How can virtual reality be used in mental health care?
How does religion impact psychological well being?
How economic policies affect psychological stability?
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on global mental health.
Post-traumatic stress disorder in military personnel.
Cyberbullying and its effect on adolescent peace of mind.
Benefits and challenges of teletherapy in emotional stability recovery.
Understanding and managing self-harm behaviors.
Examining the need for mental health support at the workplace.
Exploring the relationship between sleep deprivation and mental health.
Negative impact of toxic relationships on emotional wellness.
Importance of creating a supportive environment for psychological well being.
Benefits of self-care for emotional wellness.

Controversial Mental Health Research Topics

The mental health research topics below are sure to spark some debate. If you’re browsing for debatable argumentative paper topics or project on mental health, take a look at these themes:

Investigating the role of propaganda in creating mental health stigmas.
Exploring the impact of false news and its influence on mental wellbeing.
The need for mental health awareness campaigns in the media.
Medical marijuana and emotional stability: beneficial or harmful?
Forced hospitalization in psychiatry: necessity or violation of rights?
Is suicide representation in media preventive or harmful?
The "Anti-Vax" Movement's impact on public mental health.
The use of electroconvulsive therapy in modern psychiatry.
Does ADHD overdiagnosis contribute to misunderstood child behavior?
Are personality disorders just extreme versions of normal personality traits?
Is there a connection between mental health and gun control laws?
The validity of self-diagnosis in mental health: empowering or harmful?
Controversy over the DSM-5's expanding definition of mental illness.
How does political instability affect emotional wellbeing?
Investigating the effectiveness of government policies in mental health care.

Research Questions About Mental Health

Mental health research questions are key in helping you focus on the right topics when writing a dissertation or any other capstone project. Here are a few examples to get started:

How do parenting styles affect children’s emotional stability?
How does a positive self-image contribute to mental health resilience?
Can a supportive community significantly mitigate the symptoms of mental disorders?
Is there a correlation between high academic pressure and mental health disorders in students?
How can workplace policies be improved to better support employee wellbeing?
How does exposure to nature influence mental well-being?
How do personal belief systems and religion influence attitudes towards psychiatric disorders?
Can implementing a regular digital detox improve the state of mind?
How do life-changing events, such as migration or job loss, impact our emotional health?
What role do hormones play in mood disorders?
What are the psychological effects of long-term unemployment?
How does grief affect mental health, and how can it be managed effectively?
How does living in an urban vs. rural environment impact emotional health?
How do microaggressions in daily life contribute to stress and mental health disorders?
What is the impact of gender identity and sexual orientation on emotional wellbeing?

>> View more: Medical Research Paper Topics

Mental Health Research Topic Ideas for Students

Covering a broad spectrum of themes, our list aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the multidimensional aspects of mental health. These mental health topics for students can foster critical thinking and bring about scholarly conversations.

Mental Health Research Topics for High School

Hover over these interesting mental health research topics for high school students to find a fitting idea.

The influence of social media on teen mental health.
How does school environment influence a student's state of mind?
The role of peer pressure in psychiatric issues among teens.
The psychological impact of body image and self-esteem issues.
Mental health implications of academic stress and burnout.
The role of counseling in schools for mental health support.
Understanding eating disorders in adolescence.
The impact of parental emotional stability on adolescents.
What are the most effective ways of reducing student stress and anxiety?
Can social media platforms be used to promote positive mental health messages?
How can parents identify childhood depression and anxiety in their children?
Enhancing social and emotional skills in high school students.
Mindfulness and stress reduction techniques for high school students.
How does physical activity impact mental health in teenagers?

Mental Health Research Topics for College Students

Take a look at this collection of research paper topics on mental health for college students to find the one that suits your needs.

The impact of chronic stress on physical and psychological health.
Addressing mental illness stigma among university students.
What are the most effective methods for reducing anxiety in college students?
Examining the effectiveness of psychotherapeutic interventions for mental health disorders.
Risk factors and triggers that contribute to depression in higher education settings.
Exploring the relationship between academic performance and psychological health.
The influence of online communication on student’s emotional wellbeing.
How can university professors promote mental health awareness among their students?
Benefits of cognitive behavior therapy for college students.
What are the most effective ways to prevent suicidal ideation in college students?
Role-playing games as a therapeutic approach to emotional disorders.
Intersectional approaches to mental health: gender, race and ethnicity.
The link between drug and alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder.
Does cultural awareness influence the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders?
Investigating the role of technology in deteriorating mental health among young people.

Mental Health Research Topics and Ideas Worth Considering

Here, you'll find worthy research paper ideas on mental health focusing on different aspects. From understanding how our minds and bodies connect, to looking at the impact of society, and even studying new therapies, we've got a range of mental health research ideas for you.

Mental Illness Research Paper Topics

This selection covers an array of mental illness ideas focusing on various disorders, their causes, symptoms, and treatment options. They are ideal for students and researchers looking to broaden their knowledge.

How complex is dissociative identity disorder and what factors contribute to its development?
What role does trauma play in the development of borderline personality disorder?
What are the implications of long-term antidepressant use in major depressive disorder?
How do psychiatric service dogs impact the management of post-traumatic stress disorder?
Which psychotherapeutic approaches are effective in managing schizophrenia?
Does eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) effectively treat trauma?
How does family therapy contribute to the management of anorexia nervosa?
What are the neuroscientific insights into bipolar disorder?
How do socioeconomic factors influence major depressive disorder?
What are the mechanisms behind selective mutism in children?
To what extent does genetics contribute to autism spectrum disorder?
Psychodynamics of narcissistic personality disorder.
Implications of stigma in the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia.
Is there a link between childhood abuse and dissociative disorders that warrants exploration?
What impact does neurofeedback training have on attention deficit hyperactivity disorder?

Research Topics on Mental Health Counseling

This collection of research topics for mental health focuses on the various aspects of counseling, from psychological theories to practical approaches.

How important is cultural sensitivity in therapy and its impact on treatment outcomes?
What ethical dilemmas arise in therapy, particularly concerning privacy and confidentiality?
What is the role of positive psychology in therapeutic practices and its impact on well-being?
Does therapists' mental health influence the outcomes of their clients?
What are the methods and benefits of group therapy?
Can cognitive behavioral therapy effectively manage panic disorders?
Why is self-care important for therapists and how does it impact their work?
How does counselor bias affect mental health therapy outcomes?
The use of dialectical behavior therapy in addressing emotional instability.
How does play therapy support children's mental health?
What are the unique challenges in providing therapy for veterans with PTSD?
Can family systems therapy serve as a panacea for family-related issues?
How effective is grief counseling in helping individuals cope with bereavement?
What is the power of storytelling in emotional health care and its impact?
How effective is solution-focused brief therapy in achieving quick emotional recovery?

Young Mothers Mental Health Research Topics

This selection of research ideas about mental health covers how young mothers navigate the physical, psychological and social changes.

What are the unique mental health challenges faced by teenage mothers?
How does postpartum depression impact parenting and mother-child bond?
The effects of poverty on young maternal mental health.
Examining the effects of early adolescent pregnancy on social relationships.
What coping strategies can be used to address stress among young mothers?
Can breastfeeding serve as a protective factor against postpartum depression?
The correlation between exercise and mental health among young mothers.
What role do support networks play in assisting young mothers to access mental health services?
How does becoming a mother affect the identity of teenage girls?
Exploring the link between single parenthood and adolescent mental health.
What psychological interventions are effective in improving the mental health of young mothers?
What role does childcare play in supporting mental wellbeing among young mothers
Investigating the link between socioeconomic status and maternal depression among teenage mothers.
What role does health education play in improving the mental health of young mothers?
Are there any long-term effects of postpartum depression on child development?

Research Topics in Mental Health Nursing

Are you looking for good research topics on mental health nursing? Don't miss out on these ideas. Below you will find an idea or two in this direction.

How does nurse-patient relationships impact mental health recovery?
What is the role of psychiatric nurses in de-escalating crisis situations?
Ethical dilemmas faced by mental health nurses.
Stress and burnout among mental health nurses: Causes and coping strategies.
Are mental health nursing interventions effective for patients with PTSD?
Psychiatric nurses' role in managing patients with dual diagnosis.
Enhancing communication skills in mental health nursing.
Mental health nursing practices in pediatric care.
The role of nurses in suicide prevention and postvention.
Challenges in providing culturally sensitive care in mental health nursing.
The impact of mental health nurses in reducing hospital readmission rates.
The integration of telepsychiatry into nursing practice.
Training needs and professional development for nurses.
The efficacy of trauma-informed care in nursing.
Transition challenges for mental health nurses from inpatient to community care.

>> Read more: Nursing Research Topics

Mental Health Law Research Topics

Are you searching for some interesting research topics in mental health law? Here are a few ideas that could help you narrow down your focus.

The implications of involuntary commitment laws on civil rights.
Should mental health treatment be legally mandated for those deemed dangerous?
What are the legal safeguards when interpreting informed consent in psychiatric hospitals?
How can legal systems address violence risk assessment and management?
Exploring the ethical dilemmas behind forced medication in a psychiatric hospital.
Should involuntary commitment laws be amended to include substance use disorders?
What role does the Mental Health Act play in safeguarding the rights of patients?
Can therapeutic jurisprudence provide a viable solution for mental health law reform?
The implications of the Mental Capacity Act on decision-making and autonomy.
Analysis of consent capacity assessments in mental health law.
The role of civil commitment laws in improving access to treatment and care.
Mental health law provisions for those with chronic or terminal illnesses.
How does criminal justice reform help reduce the number of mentally ill inmates?
What are the legal considerations for ensuring patient confidentiality in mental health?
Does the Mental Health Act adequately protect the rights of young adults?

>> Read more: Legal Research Paper Topics

Mental Health Research Topics on Behavioral Issues

If you're browsing for mental health topics to research behavioral issues, here are a few titles that could help get you started.

The role of emotions in decision-making and behavior.
Exploring the link between impulsivity and depression.
How does stress-coping impact emotion regulation abilities?
Examining the impact of cognitive distortions on behavioral responses.
The role of metacognition in addressing anxiety and depression.
Evaluating the effectiveness of anger management interventions.
The impact of social media on self-esteem and behavior.
How can parents encourage healthy coping strategies in children?
Examining the role of reward systems for enhancing motivation.
How do family dynamics influence behavior problems?
The implications of trauma on behavior and emotion regulation.
Exploring the link between sleep habits and behavior problems.
Can mindfulness be an effective tool to reduce aggressive behavior?
What strategies can be used to manage impulsivity?
Can virtual reality serve as a cognitive-behavioral therapy tool?

Extra Mental Health Research Topics

The following list features unique research topic ideas on mental health that are less explored but equally important. Whether you're seasoned or a beginner in mental health research, these ideas are sure to spark engaging conversations and deepen your understanding. So, let's dive in and explore these intriguing aspects in this direction together.

Psychiatry Research Topics

The collection below spotlights a wide range of subjects, from understanding psychiatric disorders to exploring advanced treatment methods. It's an excellent resource for anyone interested in diving deeper into this intriguing medical specialty. Get ready to immerse yourself in these psychiatric research topics and contribute to the field.

The effects of combining psychotherapy with medication for the treatment of depression.
Exploring the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for treating bipolar disorder.
What role do genetics play in the development of schizophrenia?
Examining the long-term impact of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).
The use of psychedelic drugs in the treatment of mental illness.
Can mindfulness be an effective tool for treating anxiety?
The efficacy of virtual reality (VR) therapy in treating phobias.
What role do diet and nutrition play in managing psychiatric disorders?
The use of telepsychiatry to improve access to care.
How do brain activity and behavior interact in psychiatric disorders?
Exploring the role of technology in the diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders.
What is the role of childcare in supporting mental wellbeing among young mothers?
How does early childhood development influence mental health later in life?
The importance of social connectedness for psychological well being.
Exploring how cultural beliefs and practices influence mental health.

>> Read more: Psychology Research Paper Topics

Research Topics on Mental Disorder

This list of research topics regarding mental health disorders provides an exciting opportunity to explore the underlying causes, symptoms, and treatments for a wide range of psychological issues. Let's take a closer look at these compelling research topics in mental health.

What are the risk factors and warning signs of bipolar disorder?
How can family therapy be used to support children with autism?
Exploring differences in diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia between men and women.
The role of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in treating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
Examining the impact of trauma on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
What role do environmental factors play in determining vulnerability to depression?
Neuroimaging research on schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression.
Can virtual reality (VR) therapy be used to treat anxiety disorders?
Identifying the most effective psychotherapeutic approaches for treating borderline personality disorder.
Analysis of the role of medication in treating eating disorders.
The effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in managing gambling addiction.
Exploring the use of music therapy for symptoms of psychosis.
What are the best practices for supporting individuals with dissociative identity disorder?
What role does lifestyle play in managing Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)?
The potential of exercise and nutrition in preventing dementia.

Bottom Line on Research Topics About Mental Health

We did our best to provide you with exciting mental health research topics. No matter which topic you choose, make sure it resonates with your interests and provides new insights. Once you select a fitting idea, make sure to check how to write a research paper to nail your task.

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60 popular mental health research paper topics.

The best way to write a good mental health research paper is to select a topic that you will enjoy working on. If you are looking for some interesting mental health research paper topics to work on, here is a list of 60 ideas to choose from.

Perfect for students as well as experts these topics have ample scope to experiment, share ideas and arguments on, and find substantial evidence to support your view. Take a look –

Mental Health Topics for Research Paper

When you are writing a paper for a graded assignment, it is important to have some great research paper topics about mental health to pick from. Here are some to consider –

Mental traumas from physical injuries and how to help recover
Resilience building – why is it important for children?
Friendships in men and how they contribute to mental health?
The role of parenting in building good mental health in children
What is normal emotional health and mental functioning?
Anti-depressants and their side effects.
Indicators suggesting medication for depression can be stopped
Effects of colors on mental health
How and why does lack of sleep effect emotional mental health?
Effect of exercise on a patient’s mental health
Effective methods to boost brain health and emotional quotient as we age
Mental health developmental stages in children from birth to 5 years of age
Why is play important for mental health in children
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder – what causes it and how to manage?
ADHD — how to identify if someone has it?

Critical Analysis Research Paper Topics in Mental Health

For psychology students looking for effective research paper topics mental health offers many arenas for critical analysis. Here are some good topics to pick from –

Relevance of Freud in modern day psychiatry
Abortion care – the ethics and the procedures to facilitate emotional wellbeing
Are women facing more mental health issues than men?
Suicide – The reasons, trauma, and dealing with it
How does peer pressure change mental wellness and how to deal with it?
Effect of child abuse on toddlers’ mental health and resilience
Does Obesity affect mental health?
Is the damage on mental health caused by sexual abuse permanent?
Hormonal imbalances and their effect on women’s mental health
How to identify signs of mental illness in a loved one?

Music Therapy Research Paper Topics Mental Health

Music plays a significant role in enhancing mental health. Here are some mental health research paper topics on the role of music therapy in the field of mental health and treatments:

Music therapy a complimentary approach to biomedicine
Does music therapy facilitate enhanced healing?
Efficacy of music therapy for older adults
The role of music therapy in rehabilitation of mental health patients
Music based interventions and the effects of music therapy
Eating disorders and can music therapy help?
Can music therapy help with mental health during menopause?
Music therapy and its role in PTSD

Mental Health Nursing Research Paper Topics

If you are a nursing student you will certainly find these research paper topics for mental health useful for your assignment –

Psychiatric care in adult patients of mental health disorders
Non-chemical practices in bipolar disorder
Mental health care for patients dealing with alcohol addiction
Managing PTSD in armed forces veterans
Ethics to deal with psychiatric patients
Postpartum depression and how to identify and assist in early stages
Identifying the signs and managing patients with eating disorder
Mental illnesses common in soldiers returning from war
Signs of mental illness that must never be ignored
How to manage self-destructive mental health patients?

Controversial Research Paper Topics About Mental Health

Some mental health topics are controversial, but also well scoring if handled well. Take a look at some such topics worth considering –

Do natural alternatives to anti-depressants work?
Extreme postpartum depression leading to child harming tendencies
Infertility and its effects on mental health of the couple
Are more women suicidal than men?
Effect of teen relationship problems on mental health
The relationship between mental health and child abusers
Physical abuse in marriage and its effect on mental health
Rape and managing the emotional scars for effective healing
Self-destructive tendencies in children – causes and cures
Is it possible that there are people without conscience?
Are video games making children violent and aggressive?
Should criminals facing trial be subjected to genetic testing for impulse control?
Mental health in teenagers and why they cut themselves
Phobias – some of the most common and unusual fears people have
Divorce and how it affects the mental health of children
Is mental illness genetic
Does discovery of being adopted affect mental health of a child?

If you are a college student wondering what is the best way to write a research paper or how to write an effective submission that will get you good grades, you can get in touch with us for writing help. Our team offers fast and cheap assistance with writing papers that are appropriate for your level of education.

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> BJPsych Open
> Volume 8 Issue 3
> Key questions: research priorities for student mental...

Article contents

Conclusions

Data availability

Key questions: research priorities for student mental health.

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 10 May 2022

The high prevalence of mental distress among university students is gaining academic, policy and public attention. As the volume of research into student mental health increases, it is important to involve students to ensure that the evidence produced can translate into meaningful improvements.

For the first time, we consult UK students about their research priorities on student mental health.

This priority setting exercise involved current UK university students who were asked to submit three research questions relating to student mental health. Responses were aggregated into themes through content analysis and considered in the context of existing research. Students were involved throughout the project, including inception, design, recruitment, analysis and dissemination.

UK university students ( N = 385) submitted 991 questions, categorised into seven themes: epidemiology, causes and risk factors, academic factors and work–life balance, sense of belonging, intervention and services, mental health literacy and consequences. Across themes, respondents highlighted the importance of understanding the experience of minority groups.

Students are interested in understanding the causes and consequences of poor mental health at university, across academic and social domains. They would like to improve staff and students’ knowledge about mental health, and have access to evidence-based support. Future research should take a broad lens to evaluate interventions; considering how services are designed and delivered, and investigating institutional and behavioural barriers to accessibility, including how this varies across different groups within the student population.

In the context of increasing prevalence of youth and young adult mental health problems, Reference McManus 1 , Reference Tabor, Patalay and Bann 2 including university students, Reference Auerbach, Mortier, Bruffaerts, Alonso, Benjet and Cuijpers 3 concern about mental health in the university setting is mounting and gaining media and public attention. Reference Gyimah 4 Increasing demand for services on campus has been observed internationally. Reference Tabor, Patalay and Bann 2 , Reference Auerbach, Mortier, Bruffaerts, Alonso, Benjet and Cuijpers 3 However, current approaches lack a solid evidence base, Reference Fernandez, Howse, Rubio-Valera, Thorncraft, Noone and Luu 5 , Reference Worsley, Pennington and Corcoran 6 and students have voiced concerns that existing services do not meet their needs. Reference Priestley, Broglia, Hughes and Spanner 7 In the UK, representatives of university leadership and students are urging the sector to adopt a whole-institution approach. 8 , Reference Hughes and Spanner 9 However, questions about how to achieve this remain unanswered. Eliciting student perspectives and experiences has been highlighted as an enabling strategy for the sector to develop effective and targeted initiatives attuned to diverse student needs and situated within a whole-university approach. Reference Hughes and Spanner 9 As research efforts mount, Reference Hernández-Torrano, Ibrayeva, Sparks, Lim, Clementi and Almukhambetova 10 it is important to involve students to ensure that work in this field translates into meaningful improvements attuned to students’ lived experiences. Reference Chalmers, Bracken, Djulbegovic, Garattini, Grant and Gülmezoglu 11 This project set out to consult students in the UK on their priorities for future research into student mental health. Our aim is to ensure that the student voice is influential in shaping the direction of future research.

Lived experience involvement

The project was initiated through the UK Research and Innovation funded Student Mental Health Research Network (SMaRteN), with a steering group developed from the SMaRteN leadership team. The group recruited diverse stakeholders, including students (both with and without lived experience of mental health difficulties at university), clinical psychologists, tutors and academic researchers. Co-creation was central to this project. This is distinguished from student consultation and participation, by the active involvement of students as equal stakeholders, Reference Braun and Clarke 12 reciprocally sharing knowledge and networks as part of a strengths and asset-based approach. Reference Bengtsson 13 Students were operating in a ‘peer researcher’ context, and worked with academic researchers to design the methodology, recruit a diverse student sample, analyse data and write up the findings. Several student peer researchers are authors on this paper.

Participants

All procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008. All procedures involving human participants were approved by the university ethics board (approval number LRS-19/20-14288). All participants were provided with information about the study and the opportunity to contact the researchers to ask questions before providing informed consent through an online form.

Our sample included 385 UK university students, who responded to advertisements publicised by SMaRteN and the student mental health charity, Student Minds. Advertisements were circulated through newsletters, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We did not provide any monetary incentive for participation. Adverts and the study information sheet reminded participants that the survey would provide an opportunity to help shape the future of research in this area, with SMaRteN funding being allocated to address the top priority questions.

Our sample was primarily under 25 years old ( n = 285, 74%) and mostly comprised women ( n = 251, 65%). Our sample included UK domiciled ( n = 279, 72%) and international ( n = 106, 28%) students and was 72% White, 15% Asian and 6% Black. A substantial minority of respondents identified as a sexual or romantic minority ( n = 118, 31%) and/or reported having a disability ( n = 95, 25%). Students represented all years and levels of study (undergraduate, 66%; taught postgraduate, 17%; postgraduate research, 15%), and represented most subject areas (see Table 1 ).

Table 1 Sample representation across academic areas, compared with UK representation, as reported in Higher Education Statistics Agency data

Data collection was carried out via an online survey hosted on Qualtrics (Seattle, WA, USA; see https://www.qualtrics.com/uk/ ) between October 2019 and February 2020. The survey was designed to be as short and simple as possible to make participation as easy. Respondents submitted up to three questions in response to the prompt: ‘In terms of student mental health, what do you think are the priority issues for researchers to explore?’. There was no word limit for the respondents’ submissions. After submitting questions, respondents were asked to complete demographic details.

Data analysis

The objective of our analysis was to understand respondents’ recommendations for future research and categorise these to create a shortlist of research priorities. We sought to capture student recommendations without passing judgement regarding the value of the research topic or whether the question had already been addressed.

A team of 26 students were involved in analysing the data, supported by experienced researchers. The student team were recruited through SMaRteN from universities across the UK. Selection focused on bringing together a diverse team. SMaRteN hosted a 2-day workshop, covering expenses to bring students together for training and co-creation activities.

To facilitate reflexivity, Reference Downe-Wamboldt 14 we followed an iterative approach, with themes developed and refined through consultation with all members of the team. This improves the reliability of analysis, minimising biases arising from individual researchers’ preconceptions. As respondents were invited to provide single sentence questions, without explaining their rationale, it was important not to overanalyse the data. In this context, content analysis was appropriate. As summarised in Fig. 1 , we followed four steps of content analysis, embedding the principles of co-creation in each step. Reference Burnard 15

Fig. 1 Content analysis process.

In stage 1, codes were generated inductively, working with the questions provided rather than bringing in any preconceived ideas of the research questions that might be important. This approach was adopted to ensure we think carefully about the questions students were asking, as opposed to trying to fit their questions into the existing research framework. This process was completed independently by members of the steering group, before in-depth discussion, through which a single list of codes was agreed. Reference Downe-Wamboldt 14

At stage 2, students checked that all aspects of the content had been covered by revisiting the original questions, determining what should be included and excluded, and developing more detailed codes. Reference Burnard 15 For example, although the initial list of codes had included ‘academic pressure’, student analysis here clarified that this should include all questions related academic grades, success, workload, deadline and course-specific challenges.

In stage 3, the lead researcher (N.C.B.) worked iteratively with small groups of students to create categories around the codes, with the goal of reducing the categories without losing the content of units. Reference Graneheim and Lundman 16 Returning to the example of academic pressure, we identified parallels between the questions that had been grouped into this code and questions relating to the university extenuating/mitigating circumstances process. Students agreed it was hard to consider the impact of extenuating circumstances without considering these in the wider context of academic culture and assessment practice. Further, most questions relating to work–life balance focused on managing workload, and hence had clear relationship to the questions grouped under academic pressure. As such, we reduced the number of categories by grouping questions together into the category of ‘academic factors’. This process was continuously appraised to ensure categories were internally homogenous and externally heterogenous. Reference Krippendorff 17 For instance, although the questions around academic pressure and extenuating circumstances align, questions relating to academics’ appreciation for the pressure students experienced aligned more clearly with other questions about mental health literacy and academics’ understanding of mental health. In the final stage, categories were checked, named and described.

Across the analysis, although we primarily followed a manifest analysis, describing respondents’ questions as they were presented, at times a more latent approach was necessary to interpret questions that were phrased less clearly. Reference Bengtsson 13 For example, the question ‘What is the effect of workload on students’ mental health?’ can be simply described as asking about student workload, and thus grouped with other questions around workload and academic pressure. In contrast, we received a question reading ‘the amount of work?’. We chose to retain this question and place it within the category of ‘academic factors and work–life balance’. However, here we have assumed the respondent is referring to the work students have to do, rather than the amount of work universities might have to put in to improve student mental health.

In total, 991 questions were submitted and arranged into seven categories. In Table 2 , these categories are set out in descending order of frequency based on the number of questions asked in that category. We discuss each of these categories below.

Table 2 Summary of key priorities in context of existing research

Intervention and services

The efficacy of existing services (including counselling, workshops and drop-in services) was raised, including whether these services meet the needs of a diverse student population. Respondents suggested the potential effects of a broad range of specific and sometimes novel interventions, including physical activity, yoga, mindfulness, social activities and events, and sleeping pods on campus. Questions considered cost-efficacy as well as how to increase funding.

Respondents questioned the appropriate balance between preventative work and responsive treatment, and how university support services should be designed to meet needs ranging from well-being through to complex and enduring mental health problems: ‘How can the support for student well-being versus chronic/severe mental illness be differentiated and acknowledged as separate issues?’

Respondents identified a need to clarify where the boundaries of responsibility between the National Health Service (NHS) and university services should lie and how these services should be better integrated, especially with the split between home and term-time addresses: ‘What is the role of universities in treating, preventing, helping with mental health? Where do they fit in with the NHS, charities and family/social structures?’ Questions asked whether there is adequate provision of professional mental health support for students, whether this is suitably accessible and what steps can be taken to improve availability and accessibility.

Academic factors and work–life balance

Respondents queried how academic pressure, including challenging content, high workload and a pressure to succeed, contribute to mental health problems. This pressure also included how academic success affects self-worth and how to overcome feelings of shame or embarrassment when struggling academically. Pressure was raised in relation to postgraduate students, with a focus on the relationship between mental health, performance and output. Respondents asked what steps can be taken to help those studying at university to cope with pressure: ‘How can students’ resilience and coping be increased so they are best equipped to deal with HE [higher education] study?’

Participants questions indicated that methods of assessment at university may affect mental health and asked whether changes to assessment design could reduce negative effects. Respondents were interested in examinations versus coursework, as well as how deadlines affect stress. A few questions considered the accessibility and efficacy of university extenuating circumstances: ‘Are universities able/willing to make the more flexible adjustments needed for students with long-term mental health conditions to engage?’

University teaching, including module organisation and structure, number of contact hours and online versus in-person teaching, were raised as potentially affecting mental health. Teaching style changes between school and university were also flagged as possibly problematic: ‘I feel like a lot of people are struggling with the first year. How can we make the gap between uni and high school smaller?’ These questions were raised by students across academic disciplines. Healthcare students uniquely also questioned how placements affect mental health.

Respondents asked about the challenge of time management and maintaining balance in their lives. Questions considered how to balance academic work with a social life and part-time job, and postulated whether trying to achieve this places strain on relationships and well-being. Although there were comparatively few questions relating to balance, students involved in the analysis requested that this theme be highlighted because of its relevance and importance.

Mental health literacy

Questions included whether, and in what ways, a culture of increased awareness, education and conversation would affect student mental health: ‘How is the growing awareness of mental health impacting student's mental health?’ Students were concerned about to identify mental health problems in themselves and their peers, and asked for more knowledge about how to respond to and help someone struggling with mental health problems. The importance of providing support to those who are helping friends with mental health problems was also highlighted. Students wanted knowledge of self-help strategies, and questioned how best to manage and cope with their own mental health problems at university: ‘What steps can students take to minimise their risk of adverse mental health issues?’ This theme also included whether students know what support and advice is available at university, and how they can access it, including how comfortable people feel reaching out for support, the role of stigma and shame, and how to encourage help-seeking behaviour.

Academic staff also play a part in creating a culture around mental health, and so respondents were interested in their mental health literacy and suggested providing resources, training programmes or policy implementation to help staff recognise and support students with mental health problems. Some questions considered whether students feel they are treated as individuals or in a more depersonalised and anonymous manner, and what impact this has on student mental health: ‘Would students suffering with poor mental health be able to work better with more consideration from teachers?’

Causes and risk factors

Identifying potential risk and protective factors for poor mental health was highlighted: ‘Which students are most at risk of poor mental health/well-being and why? And most likely to have good mental health and why – protective factors?’ Respondents posed questions about underlying reasons, triggers or drivers for problems, with some assuming that university has a negative impact on mental health: ‘What is causing mental illness at university, and is it a systemic problem?’ Specific possible contributing factors included student finances, living arrangements, drug and alcohol use, unhealthy lifestyles and concerns for future career prospects. Questions about living arrangements considered the impact of living away from home, transitioning between home and term-time addresses, communal versus solitary living and how living in halls of residence affects mental health. Respondents queried how a sense of belonging and academic factors, including the challenge of finding a work–life balance, might contribute to mental health problems. These questions have not been included here because there was sufficient interest to create independent categories.

Sense of belonging

Respondents wanted to know whether all students feel valued, included and appreciated within their university community, and how to improve this: ‘How can students feel more ‘at home’ and comfortable in their universities?’ Loneliness and isolation were raised, particularly the reasons why students are lonely, how this affects mental health and what can be done to reduce it. Respondents questioned how to make meaningful connections, and why students may feel alone despite being surrounded by people. Respondents considered how student social life affects mental health, including the role of societies and sports groups as well as negative experiences such as peer pressure, elitism and bullying.

Questions considered these problems from the perspective of minority or vulnerable groups, with issues surrounding loneliness being raised specifically for international, mature and commuter students. Respondents queried whether the university environment is inclusive for neurodiverse, minority ethnic, LGBTQ+, working class and disabled students, and how a lack of representation may accentuate loneliness. Victimisation and discrimination, including racism and sexual assault, were identified as potentially contributing to mental health problems at university: ‘How safe do you feel on your campus? Specifically, relevant for minoritized groups, i.e. BAME, LGBTQ, non-neurotypical students, etc. and women’.

Epidemiology

Questions falling into this category considered the prevalence of mental health problems among university students, including identifying the most common conditions, how the incidence of these problems is changing in universities and how prevalence differs between students and non-students. Many questions revealed underlying presumptions that student mental health is declining, and that students are more vulnerable to mental health problems than their peers: ‘Why has the prevalence of mental health problems in university students increased?’ They also questioned when mental health problems develop, whether this is before or after coming to university and how the move to university changes peoples’ experiences.

Consequences

A small number of questions asked about the consequences of mental health problems at university, and particularly the impact on academic achievement and social life. Respondents asked about drop-out rates in relation to mental health, and consequences for career development. Respondents were interested in the prognosis for those who struggle with mental health problems at university, including rates of recovery.

The aim of this co-creation project was to identify the mental health research priorities of university students and enable the student voice to shape the direction of future research. Our study identified seven key areas for future research. Many themes overlapped, reflecting the interconnectedness of different facets of student life. As summarised in Table 2 , we have positioned the students’ priorities in the context of the existing research, which is often small scale and narrowly focused, with limited consideration of racial, ethnic and sexual minorities. The project was undertaken before the COVID-19 pandemic, which has resulted in substantial disruption to students’ lives and rapid changes to university practices, and highlights the long-term challenges facing student mental health. It is important that student priorities are considered as the higher education sector transitions to a post-pandemic world.

Although the data available suggest that short-term embedded counselling at university is clinically effective, Reference Broglia, Ryan, Williams, Fudge, Knowles and Turner 18 evaluation of the efficacy of university mental health services has been minimal. Reference Barkham, Broglia, Dufour, Fudge, Knowles and Percy 19 There has been limited evaluation of interventions and services as part of a whole-university approach, Reference Fernandez, Howse, Rubio-Valera, Thorncraft, Noone and Luu 5 , Reference Worsley, Pennington and Corcoran 6 and to our knowledge, no published evaluation of the impact of collaboration between universities and the NHS. Although there has been some consideration of non-clinical interventions such as yoga and exercise, most studies are of poor quality, and it is not possible to rank which interventions work best, where and for whom. Reference Worsley, Pennington and Corcoran 6 Future studies must take a broader lens to evaluate interventions for students, especially how they are designed, delivered and made accessible, and should employ robust evaluation of service efficacy. In line with student priorities, it is vital that future research considers the efficacy of services for the diverse student population.

International research indicates that student workload is a major factor contributing to stress and can result in prolonged study times or drop-out. Reference Bowyer 20 , Reference Dyrbye, Thomas, Harper, Massie, Power and Eacker 21 However, despite growing research interest in a ‘whole of curriculum approach’, knowledge about how to support student mental health through curricula and pedagogy is lacking. Preliminary evidence from the USA demonstrated that a multidimensional curricula intervention involving reduction in contact time, a change in grading system, collaborative and practical learning initiatives, and an embedded resilience and mindfulness intervention, resulted in significant decreases in depressive and anxiety symptoms among medical students, with corresponding increases in quality of life, group cohesion, student satisfaction and examination scores. Reference Slavin, Schindler and Chibnall 22 This suggests that there is a promising way forward that could be adopted in the UK context across different types of degrees, in keeping with the many student questions on this topic.

Mental health literacy is defined as ‘knowledge and belief about mental disorders which aid their recognition, management or prevention’. Reference Jorm, Korten and Jacomb 23 Within this, understanding how to look after your own mental health and support peers is fundamental. Reference Jorm 24 Preliminary research has demonstrated potential efficacy and acceptability of peer support programmes Reference Byrom 25 and programmes to improve student mental health literacy among students. Reference Lo, Gupta and Keating 26 However, further research is needed to evaluate these more thoroughly and compare different approaches. Academics are under increased pressure to support student mental health, but many find it challenging to understand their role and the best response. Reference Hughes and Byrom 27 Research findings around mental health literacy are varied, with some studies identifying knowledge gaps Reference Redpath, Kearney, Nicholl, Mulvenna, Wallace and Martin 28 and others noting good levels of literacy among students and staff. Reference Gulliver, Farrer, Bennett and Griffiths 29 Exploring how staff and students can support themselves and others with mental health difficulties is an important priority for future research.

Research has only focused on whether a specific factor, in isolation, is relevant to mental health. For example, there is strong evidence of relationships between mental health problems and financial stress, Reference Andrews and Wilding 30 , Reference Richardson, Elliott and Roberts 31 drug and alcohol consumption, Reference Tembo, Burns and Kalembo 32 , Reference Walters, Bulmer, Troiano, Obiaka and Bonhomme 33 isolation and loneliness, Reference McIntyre, Worsley, Corcoran, Harrison Woods and Bentall 34 and sleep disruption Reference Peach, Gaultney and Gray 35 , Reference Di Benedetto, Towt and Jackson 36 among students, as well as experiences of adverse events before and during university. Reference Karatekin 37 Although studies have increasingly explored the link between factors such as accommodation environments, Reference Worsley, Harrison and Corcoran 38 , Reference Worsley, Harrison and Corcoran 39 and physical activity Reference Dogra, MacIntosh, O'Neill, D'Silva, Shearer and Smith 40 and student mental health, investigating general and comparative risk, protective and causal factors associated with mental health problems among students remains a high priority.

The repeated use of the word ‘loneliness’ within submitted questions was striking. There are strong links between loneliness and mental health problems, Reference Hawkley and Cacioppo 41 and loneliness is particularly associated with the transition from adolescence to adulthood. 42 Loneliness appears to be accentuated by the significant upheaval in social networks that occurs when young adults leave the family home. Reference Matthews, Odgers, Danese, Fisher, Newbury and Caspi 43 Research focusing on loneliness and student and postgraduate mental health is developing, Reference McIntyre, Worsley, Corcoran, Harrison Woods and Bentall 34 , Reference Vasileiou, Barnett, Barreto, Vines, Atkinson and Long 44 but studies to establish how student friendship groups form, how and why students experience loneliness at university and how student loneliness can be prevented should continue, particularly with student input. The COVID-19 pandemic caused further disruption to students’ social networks, with public concern for students missing the university experience. Reference Blackall and Mistlin 45 , Reference Montacute and Culliane 46 It will be important for research exploring the impact of COVID-19 to recognise that challenges around sense of belonging on the university campus predate the pandemic.

A sense of belonging is unique to the individual. As recognised by the students in our study, it is vital for issue of belonging and loneliness to be investigated among minority groups. Although there is a substantive body of research on attainment gaps for students from minority ethnic backgrounds in UK higher education, Reference Mountford-Zimdars, Sanders, Jones, Sabri and Moore 47 there are evidence gaps related to how structural exclusion affects mental health. Reference Alharbi and Smith 48

Existing evidence suggests 20–40% of university students are likely to meet criteria for mental health problems, and prevalence rates have been increasing over recent years. Reference Tabor, Patalay and Bann 2 , Reference Auerbach, Mortier, Bruffaerts, Alonso, Benjet and Cuijpers 3 Analysis of large population data-sets provides conflicting evidence about the relative prevalence of mental health problems between university students and peers not in higher education. Reference Tabor, Patalay and Bann 2 , Reference Lewis, McCloud and Callender 49 With notable exceptions, Reference Bewick, Koutsopoulou, Miles, Slaa and Barkham 50 , Reference Macaskill 51 there has been limited work within the UK identifying how mental health problems might vary across years of study, academic disciplines and universities, although this has been explored extensively within the USA. Reference Dyrbye, Thomas, Harper, Massie, Power and Eacker 21 Current data around the prevalence of mental health problems for minority student groups also remains limited.

In line with student priorities, future research must provide more precise estimates of the prevalence of student mental health problems, and identify how these vary across the student population. This will have important implications for service planning and provision. Given many students have pre-existing beliefs regarding prevalence and trends of mental health problems at university, clear communication of existing data and future findings is imperative.

In keeping with students’ concerns, research suggests mental health does affect educational achievement at university. Reference Eisenberg, Hunt and Speer 52 – Reference Allan, McKenna and Dominey 54 However longitudinal studies assessing long-term consequences across a wider breadth of domains, including social life and future career development, are lacking.

Strengths and limitations

Student involvement in every stage of the study increased the likelihood that the project would be responsive to students’ needs and research priorities. Our sample was broadly representative of the student population, although it overrepresented women, underrepresented undergraduate students and overrepresented students studying sciences, primarily because of a large representation of students studying medicine and dentistry, biological sciences (including psychology) and computer science (see Table 1 ). Given the widespread underrepresentation of men in research into student mental health, it will remain important for future research to develop specific strategies to consult and engage male students in research design. As a self-selective sample, it is important to recognise that the voices of students who care passionately about student mental health are likely to have been overrepresented in this project.

In conclusion, this project identifies seven key priorities for future research into student mental health from the perspective of UK university students. Students’ questions are mostly unmet in the existing literature, with less research into the mental health of racial, ethnic and sexual minority student communities. Research is needed in each of these seven areas, and Table 2 highlights key questions to be answered. However, three areas stand out as particularly important. ‘Interventions and services’ was the largest category of questions. This is also an area where there are research gaps. We do not need more research evaluating whether one-to-one clinical interventions are effective. Rather, research needs to assess the whole-university approach, understand the range of needs across a diverse student population and consider the broad student experience of services, from initial help-seeking through identifying appropriate support, triaging, waiting lists and using the service. In contrast to the attention students have given to academic factors, the research in this area is sparce. We need robust, large-scale evaluations of the impact of curricula and pedagogy on student mental health. Finally, there is a stark gap between student interest and research exploring sense of belonging. Future research must address the university social experience, to enhance our understanding of how this relates to student mental health and how it might be leveraged to improve mental health.

Our results have important implications for future funding to ensure research produces knowledge that is useful, relevant and meaningful to diverse student populations, as well as ensuring that knowledge can be translated into positive and practical changes within the higher education sector.

The fully anonymised data that support the findings of this study are available online from figshare at https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.15124908 .

Acknowledgements

The research was supported by the project steering group and the SMaRteN student team, including Oskar Kaleta, Aleks Saunders, Connor Gayle, Kwan Lui Cheng, Joshua Melwani, Eadie Simons, Sania Deshpande, Lesley Turner, Elizabeth James, Isabel De Castro, Megan Lawrence, Kirellos Miseih, Paulina Pawlak, Samuel Chu, Andrea Prisecaru, Keerthi Ramesh, Wangjingyi Liao, Reihannah Mahmoud, Emily Wielezynski, Chloe Casey, Nuvera Mukaty, Anusha Ramji, Oliver Anderson, Anna Ambwene, Ka Wai Li, Elizabeta Farys and Kristyana Taneva.

Author contributions

K.S. contributed to data analysis and interpretation, including checking, naming and describing categories from students’ questions, and contributed to the write-up and editing of the final paper. M.P. contributed to the design/procedure as a student in the steering group, by recruiting students to submit key questions, through analysing/thematising submitted questions and in editing the manuscript. A.L.D. contributed to the initial design of the priority setting exercise, supported student recruitment and made critical revisions to several drafts of the manuscript. E.B. advised in her role on the SMaRteN leadership team and contributed to the preparation of this manuscript. T.W. contributed to the design of the priority setting exercise, advised on the analysis and contributed to the writing up of the manuscript. D.R. helped to develop and support the priority setting exercise, helped with analysis and suggested comments on the final paper. K.T. contributed to the conceptualisation and development of study materials, project administration and writing (reviewing and editing) of the manuscript. M.O.V. contributed as a steering group member for the research, reviewing initial responses and providing feedback on themes. N.C.B. is Principal Investigator, and therefore took the lead on designing and implementing the priority setting exercise, analysing data and writing the manuscript. All authors had access to the data, and K.S., M.P., D.R. and N.C.B. in particular can verify the underlying data. All authors approved the final manuscript.

This project was funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (grant number ES/S00324X/1) awarded to N.C.B., A.L.D., E.B., T.W. and D.R. The funder had no involvement in the design, implementation or dissemination of this study.

Declaration of interest

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72 Mental Health Questions for Counselors and Patients

Is it the same as happiness?

Or is it simply the absence of mental illness?

Whether you are a professional therapist or want to help a friend in need, it helps to have some mental health questions up your sleeve.

You may not be able to diagnose someone who isn’t doing 100%, but with a little insight into their state of mind, you can play a valuable role in supporting them to get the help they need.

In this article, we’ll cover some mental health questions to ask yourself, your clients, or even your students. Read on to learn more.

Before you continue, we thought you might like to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free . These science-based exercises will explore fundamental aspects of positive psychology including strengths, values, and self-compassion, and will give you the tools to enhance the wellbeing of your clients, students, or employees.

This Article Contains:

What are mental health questions, mental health questions, 5 examples of common mental health questions for risk assessment and evaluation, 20 mental health interview questions a counselor should ask, 10 mental health questions aimed at students, 7 questions for group discussion, common mental health research questions, 9 mental health questions a patient can ask, 12 questions to ask yourself, 9 self-reflection questions, a take-home message.

Let’s start with a definition of mental health – more precisely, what it isn’t. In the article The Mental Health Continuum : From Languishing to Flourishing , positive psychologist Corey Keyes (2002) is very adamant about not oversimplifying the mental health concept, writing:

“mental health is more than the presence and absence of emotional states.”

Recapping the definition of a syndrome from the clinical literature, he then reminds us of the following:

“[a syndrome is] … a set of symptoms that occur together.”

Finally, Keyes argues that we can challenge the idea that syndromes are all about suffering. Instead, he argues that can we view mental health as:

“a syndrome of symptoms of an individual’s subjective well-being” or “a syndrome of symptoms of positive feelings and positive functioning in life.”

The right questions can give you insight into others’ wellbeing and promote the benefits of mental health .

These questions also help you:

Show your concern for someone who is struggling
Open up a dialogue about their mental state
Trigger them to reflect on their overall wellbeing
Prompt or encourage them to seek professional help if it is necessary

To get a clearer idea of these questions, let’s consider some examples.

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Where do you take a mental health conversation once you’ve opened with, “ How are you feeling? ”

For professionals, it might help to screen your client for any disorders or distress. The Anxiety and Depression Detector (Means-Christensen, Sherbourne, Roy-Byrne, Craske, & Stein, 2006) can help you assess depression and anxiety disorders, and it’s only five questions long (O’Donnell, Bryant, Creamer, & Carty, 2008).

You may want to tweak some of these questions to make them more relevant to your client.

Have you ever experienced a terrible occurrence that has impacted you significantly? Examples may include being the victim of armed assault, witnessing a tragedy happen to someone else, surviving a sexual assault, or living through a natural disaster.
Do you ever feel that you’ve been affected by feelings of edginess, anxiety, or nerves?
Have you experienced a week or longer of lower-than-usual interest in activities that you usually enjoy? Examples might include work, exercise, or hobbies.
Have you ever experienced an ‘attack’ of fear, anxiety, or panic?
Do feelings of anxiety or discomfort around others bother you?

These are just a few examples, and they are primarily concerned with identifying any potential signs of anxiety and depression. By design, they do not assess indicators of wellbeing, such as flourishing, life satisfaction, and happiness.

If you want to find out more about the latter, we have some great articles about Life Satisfaction Scales , as well as Happiness Tests, Surveys, and Quizzes and mental health exercises .

Open-ended questions are never a bad thing when you’re trying to start a discussion about mental health.

A study by Connell, O’Cathain, and Brazier (2014) suggested that seven quality of life domains are particularly relevant to a counselor who wants to open up dialogue with a client: physical health, wellbeing, autonomy, choice and control, self-perception, hope and hopelessness, relationships and belonging, and activity.

Physical health

Questions of this type were related to feelings such as agitation, restlessness, sleep, pain, and somatic symptoms. Examples of prompts to investigate this domain could include:

Tell me about your sleeping habits over the past X months. Have you noticed any changes? Difficulty sleeping? Restlessness?
How would you describe your appetite over the past X weeks? Have your eating habits changed in any way?

Wellbeing (and ill-being)

These questions looked at feelings of anxiety, distress, motivation, and energy. The ‘absence of negative feelings of ill-being,’ was understandably related to a higher perceived quality of life Connell et al., 2014). Sample prompts might include:

Could you tell me about any times over the past few months that you’ve been bothered by low feelings, stress, or sadness?
How frequently have you had little pleasure or interest in the activities you usually enjoy? Would you tell me more?

Autonomy, choice, and control

Questions about independence and autonomy were related to quality of life aspects such as pride, dignity, and privacy. Potential questions might include:

How often during the past X months have you felt as though your moods, or your life, were under your control?
How frequently have you been bothered by not being able to stop worrying?

Self-perception

Self-perception questions were related to patients’ confidence, self-esteem, and feelings of being capable of doing the things they wanted to do. Counselors might want to use the following prompts:

Tell me about how confident you have been feeling in your capabilities recently.
Let’s talk about how often you have felt satisfied with yourself over the past X months.

Hope and hopelessness

These questions ask about the patient’s view of the future, their hopes and goals, and the actions they were taking toward them.

How often over the past few weeks have you felt the future was bleak?
Can you tell me about your hopes and dreams for the future? What feelings have you had recently about working toward those goals?

Relationships and belonging

These questions consider how the client felt they ‘fit in with society,’ were supported, and possessed meaningful relationships. Examples include:

Describe how ‘supported’ you feel by others around you – your friends, family, or otherwise.
Let’s discuss how you have been feeling about your relationships recently.

The more purposeful, meaningful, and constructive a client perceived their activities to be, the better.

Tell me about any important activities or projects that you’ve been involved with recently. How much enjoyment do you get from these?
How frequently have you been doing things that mean something to you or your life?

Read our post on mental health activities to assist clients in this area.

Mental health questions for students

Other self-efficacy and life skills measures could give us a good idea of some example mental health questions for students. The following may help:

Academic self-efficacy questions for students

How much confidence do you have that you can successfully:

Complete homework within deadlines?
Focus on school subjects?
Get information on class assignments from the library?
Take part in class discussions?
Keep your academic work organized?

Mental health questions (World Health Organization, 2013)

Over the last 12 months, how frequently have you felt so worried about something that you were unable to sleep at night?
Over the last 12 months, how frequently have you felt alone or lonely?
Over the last 12 months, how often did you seriously consider attempting suicide?
Over the last 12 months, did you ever plan how you might attempt suicide?
How many close friends would you say you have?

As with all the other questions in this article, you’ll probably want to tweak and amend these items to suit your audience.

Your mental health questions answered – jacksepticeye

The catch-all term “mental health group” can refer to several different things. Mental health groups may gather together for therapy or may be more informal peer support groups. You may also find yourself part of a group that’s purely for friends, family, and carers of those whose mental health is a concern.

Whatever group you find yourself in, the World Health Organization (2017) has some suggestions that will help you create a safe and productive space.

Mental health group best practices

Everything that is said in therapy should remain confidential; nothing from the discussion should be shared outside of the group setting.

Bear in mind that not everyone in the discussion will be at the same stage. Some may be new, others may be more seasoned or regular visitors.

Recognize that people won’t necessarily get along, but they all are welcome anyway.

Try not to view peer support or group discussions as a panacea for mental conditions. While they may be a great place to get suggestions or clarity, mental health is about feeling good in more than one way. Participants or caregivers may also require coaching, counseling, or medication to feel better.

7 Group questions

What questions can we ask to get some discussion flowing in a mental health group?

You may want to start with a focus for your discussion. Ask someone to share a story, experience, or step in as a facilitator with a video about the theme at hand. If you are discussing the role of social support, for example, you may have a presentation or case study prepared on the importance of friends and family.

Once you’ve opened with your story or resource, try some of these to spark a discussion (Gruttadaro & Cepla, 2014):

How do you feel about the story you just heard? What was your first reaction? How about as the story unfolded?
What were your thoughts regarding the signs and symptoms of this mental health issue? Have you experienced any of these yourself or in someone you know?
How would you react if you noticed these in someone you care about?
How might taking action benefit you and the person you care about?
What actions could you take to help someone who is exhibiting these signs and symptoms?
What do you believe is important for anyone to be aware of if they know someone with this mental health issue?
What experiences have you had that are related to this story? What was similar? What differed?

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Curious to know the top research questions related to mental health worldwide? Tomlinson et al. (2009) identified some of the key priorities for researchers to look at.

The group came up with 55 questions, and the top three topics included:

Health policy and systems research topics – e.g., How can health policy and systems research help us create parenting and social skills interventions for early childhood care in a cost-efficient, feasible, and effective way?
Cost-effective interventions for low-resource settings – e.g., How can affordable interventions be delivered in settings where resources are scarce?
Questions about child and teen mental disorders – e.g., How effective and cost-effective are school-based mental health treatments for special needs schoolchildren?

Engaging with your mental health practitioner is one of the best ways to get the most out of your check-ups. The healthcare system is changing, and gone are the days when a patient sat passively for a diagnosis or prescription (Rogers & Maini, 2016).

These days, arguably, medical dialogues place more emphasis on helping a client help themselves through information, education, and commitment to a better lifestyle. It’s good news indeed for anyone who wants to get proactive about their mental health. So what should you be asking your practitioner?

Before committing to a mental health practitioner, you’ll need to know a few things about the services they provide. Many therapists can provide psychological treatments but aren’t able to prescribe medication. You’ll need a psychiatrist or physician for that.

Bear this in mind, and consider the following questions when you’re deciding whether a provider is right for you (Association for Children’s Mental Health, n.d.; Think Mental Health, n.d.):

What is your experience with treating others with my mental health condition?
Will you be able to collaborate or liaise with my physician on an integrated care plan?
What does a typical appointment with you look like?
What treatments or therapies are you licensed to administer?
Are there benefits or risks that I should know about these therapies?
What is the general time frame in which most patients will see results?
How will I know if the treatment is having an effect?
How long does this type of treatment last?
What does research say about this type of treatment?

It is an awareness-raising campaign that encourages us to tune in early to the symptoms of mental illness.

But, of course, you can always check in with yourself as regularly as you like.

Example questions about wellbeing

The Canadian Mental Health Association (n.d.) provides some self-report questions that you can start with; these questions cover six areas and require only agree/disagree responses. Try some of these as an example:

Sense of self questions– e.g., I see myself as a good person. I feel that others respect me, yet I can still feel fine about myself if I disagree with them.
Sense of belonging questions – e.g., I have others around me who support me. I feel positive about my relationships with others and my interpersonal connections.
Sense of meaning or purpose questions – e.g., I get satisfaction from the things I do. I challenge my perspectives about the world and what I believe in.
Emotional resilience questions – e.g., I feel I handle things quite well when obstacles get in my way. I accept that I can’t always control things, but I do what I can when I can.
Enjoyment and hope questions – e.g., I have a positive outlook on my life. I like myself for who I am.
Contribution questions – e.g., The things that I do have an impact. My actions matter to those around me.

According to Rath and Clifton (2004), we each possess a metaphorical bucket representing our emotional and mental wellbeing. This imaginary bucket can be empty, full, or anywhere in between, and it undergoes a continuous process of filling (through positive interactions) and emptying (through negative interactions).

We feel energized, happy, and content when our buckets are full. When our buckets run low or empty, we can easily become negative, insecure, and defensive.

Having positive, meaningful interactions and showing kindness not only makes us feel good and fills our buckets but also fills the buckets of those around us. When our bucket is full, we are more inclined to fill the buckets of others.

However, when our bucket is running low or empty, we don’t have anything left to give to ourselves, let alone others. Therefore, it’s important to show kindness and compassion to ourselves to fill our bucket back up before we can service the buckets of others.

Elsewhere on PositivePsychology.com, we’ve written about the many potential benefits of narrative therapy . If you’re looking for some writing or journal prompts to help you get started, you can try putting your responses to these questions down on paper (Post Trauma Institute, 2019).

Have my sleeping habits changed? Do I wake up and fall asleep at regular times? When I sleep, how would I describe the quality of my rest?
How has my appetite increased or decreased recently?
Am I having trouble focusing at work or school? Can I concentrate on the things I want to do? Do I find pleasure in things that usually make me happy?
Am I socializing with my friends as much as I usually do? How about spending time with my family? Am I withdrawing or pulling away from those around me who matter?
Do I feel like I’m maintaining a healthy balance between leisure, myself, my career, physical activity, and those I care about? How about other things that matter to me?
How relaxed do I feel most of the time, out of 10? Is this the same, more, or less than usual?
How do I feel most of the time? Happy? Anxious? Satisfied? Sad?
What are my energy levels like when I finish my day? Are there any significant changes in my tiredness?
Am I having any extreme emotions or mood swings? Any suicidal thoughts, breakdowns, or panic attacks?

It may help to keep track of your responses over time and take notice of any differences in your answers. It should go without saying that the earlier you seek out any help you may need, the better.

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Mental health is not about the absence of mental illness. When we take the time to ask ourselves and others about our mental states, we can potentially make some crucial steps toward wellbeing.

As Keyes (2002) describes, we can think of our mental health as a continuum, with languishing at one end and flourishing at the other. By starting a dialogue and showing that we care, we can help each other get the help we need and potentially begin to feel better.

What questions have you asked yourself before? And what would you add to our list? Let us know in the comments below!

We hope you enjoyed reading this article. Don’t forget to download our three Positive Psychology Exercises for free .

Association for Children’s Mental Health. (n.d.). Questions to ask your mental health professional about treatment options, medications, and more. Retrieved July 29, 2021 from http://www.acmh-mi.org/get-information/childrens-mental-health-101/questions-ask-treatment/
Bashir, L. (2018). Mental health among senior secondary school students in relation to life skills and self-efficacy. International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research Review, 3 (9), 587–591.
Canadian Mental Health Association. (n.d.). Check in on your mental health. Retrieved from https://mentalhealthweek.ca/check-in-on-your-mental-health/
Connell, J., O’Cathain, A., Brazier, J. (2014). Measuring quality of life in mental health: Are we asking the right questions? Social Science & Medicine , 120 , 12–20.
Keyes, C. L. (2002). The mental health continuum: From languishing to flourishing in life. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 43 , 207–222.
Means-Christensen, A. J., Sherbourne, C. D., Roy-Byrne, P. P., Craske, M. G., & Stein, M. B. (2006). Using five questions to screen for five common mental disorders in primary care: Diagnostic accuracy of the Anxiety and Depression Detector. General Hospital Psychiatry, 28 (2), 108–118.
Mental Health America. (n.d.a). Questions to ask a provider. Retrieved July 29, 2021, from https://www.mhanational.org/questions-ask-provider/
Mental Health America. (n.d.b). Mental health screening tools . Retrieved July 29, 2021, from https://screening.mhanational.org/screening-tools
Gruttadaro, D., & Cepla, E. (2014). Say it out loud: NAMI discussion group facilitation guide. National Alliance on Mental Illness. Retrieved July 29, 2021, from https://www.nami.org/getattachment/Get-Involved/Raise-Awareness/Engage-Your-Community/Say-it-Out-Loud/Say-it-Out-Loud-Discussion-Group-Facilitation-Guide.pdf
O’Donnell, M. L., Bryant, R. A., Creamer, M., & Carty, J. (2008). Mental health following traumatic injury: Toward a health system model of early psychological intervention. Clinical Psychology Review, 28 (3), 387–406.
Post Trauma Institute. (2019). How to do a mental health check-up DIY style! Retrieved from https://www.posttraumainstitute.com/how-to-do-a-mental-health-check-up-diy-style/
Rath, T., & Clifton, D. O. (2004). How full is your bucket? Positive strategies for work and life . Gallup Press.
Rogers, J., & Maini, A. (2016). Coaching for health: Why it works and how to do it. Open University Press.
Saatchi, M., Kamkkari, K., & Askarian, M. (2010). Life skills questionnaire. Psychological Tests Publish Edits, 85 .
Singh, A. K., & Narain, S. (2014). Manual for Self-Efficacy Scale. National Psychological Corporation.
Talesara, S., & Bano, A. (2017). Mental Health Scale. National Psychological Corporation.
Think Mental Health. (n.d.). Questions to ask your GP – What to discuss. Retrieved from https://www.thinkmentalhealthwa.com.au/mental-health-support-services/how-your-gp-can-help/questions-to-ask-your-gp/
Tomlinson, M., Rudan, I., Saxena, S., Swartz, L., Tsai, A. C., & Patel, V. (2009). Setting priorities for global mental health research. Bulletin of the World Health Organization , 87 (6), 438–446.
World Health Organization. (2013). Global school-based student health survey: 2013 core questionnaire modules. Retrieved July 29, 2021, from http://www.who.int/entity/chp/gshs/GSHS_Core_Modules_2013_English.pdf
World Health Organization. (2017). Creating peer support groups in mental health and related areas: WHO QualityRights training to act, unite, and empower for mental health (pilot version) (No. WHO/MSD/MHP/17.13).

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Thank you so much for this helpful resource. As a masters student for Public Health Nursing, I found these questions helpful ice breakers for me to use for a focus-group collection strategy paper I am writing (questions were modified, of course to my topic). Thank you!

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Would like to thank the writer of this article. Used some of these questions to design a mental health survey for our website project to raise awareness about early treatment of mental illnesses. Really informative and useful to raise in-depth questions and start meaningful conversations. Thank you so much!

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Mental health and the pandemic: What U.S. surveys have found

The coronavirus pandemic has been associated with worsening mental health among people in the United States and around the world . In the U.S, the COVID-19 outbreak in early 2020 caused widespread lockdowns and disruptions in daily life while triggering a short but severe economic recession that resulted in widespread unemployment. Three years later, Americans have largely returned to normal activities, but challenges with mental health remain.

Here’s a look at what surveys by Pew Research Center and other organizations have found about Americans’ mental health during the pandemic. These findings reflect a snapshot in time, and it’s possible that attitudes and experiences may have changed since these surveys were fielded. It’s also important to note that concerns about mental health were common in the U.S. long before the arrival of COVID-19 .

Three years into the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States , Pew Research Center published this collection of survey findings about Americans’ challenges with mental health during the pandemic. All findings are previously published. Methodological information about each survey cited here, including the sample sizes and field dates, can be found by following the links in the text.

The research behind the first item in this analysis, examining Americans’ experiences with psychological distress, benefited from the advice and counsel of the COVID-19 and mental health measurement group at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

At least four-in-ten U.S. adults (41%) have experienced high levels of psychological distress at some point during the pandemic, according to four Pew Research Center surveys conducted between March 2020 and September 2022.

A bar chart showing that young adults are especially likely to have experienced high psychological distress since March 2020

Young adults are especially likely to have faced high levels of psychological distress since the COVID-19 outbreak began: 58% of Americans ages 18 to 29 fall into this category, based on their answers in at least one of these four surveys.

Women are much more likely than men to have experienced high psychological distress (48% vs. 32%), as are people in lower-income households (53%) when compared with those in middle-income (38%) or upper-income (30%) households.

In addition, roughly two-thirds (66%) of adults who have a disability or health condition that prevents them from participating fully in work, school, housework or other activities have experienced a high level of distress during the pandemic.

The Center measured Americans’ psychological distress by asking them a series of five questions on subjects including loneliness, anxiety and trouble sleeping in the past week. The questions are not a clinical measure, nor a diagnostic tool. Instead, they describe people’s emotional experiences during the week before being surveyed.

While these questions did not ask specifically about the pandemic, a sixth question did, inquiring whether respondents had “had physical reactions, such as sweating, trouble breathing, nausea, or a pounding heart” when thinking about their experience with the coronavirus outbreak. In September 2022, the most recent time this question was asked, 14% of Americans said they’d experienced this at least some or a little of the time in the past seven days.

More than a third of high school students have reported mental health challenges during the pandemic. In a survey conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from January to June 2021, 37% of students at public and private high schools said their mental health was not good most or all of the time during the pandemic. That included roughly half of girls (49%) and about a quarter of boys (24%).

In the same survey, an even larger share of high school students (44%) said that at some point during the previous 12 months, they had felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two or more weeks in a row – to the point where they had stopped doing some usual activities. Roughly six-in-ten high school girls (57%) said this, as did 31% of boys.

A bar chart showing that Among U.S. high schoolers in 2021, girls and LGB students were most likely to report feeling sad or hopeless in the past year

On both questions, high school students who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, other or questioning were far more likely than heterosexual students to report negative experiences related to their mental health.

A bar chart showing that Mental health tops the list of parental concerns, including kids being bullied, kidnapped or abducted, attacked and more

Mental health tops the list of worries that U.S. parents express about their kids’ well-being, according to a fall 2022 Pew Research Center survey of parents with children younger than 18. In that survey, four-in-ten U.S. parents said they’re extremely or very worried about their children struggling with anxiety or depression. That was greater than the share of parents who expressed high levels of concern over seven other dangers asked about.

While the fall 2022 survey was fielded amid the coronavirus outbreak, it did not ask about parental worries in the specific context of the pandemic. It’s also important to note that parental concerns about their kids struggling with anxiety and depression were common long before the pandemic, too . (Due to changes in question wording, the results from the fall 2022 survey of parents are not directly comparable with those from an earlier Center survey of parents, conducted in 2015.)

Among parents of teenagers, roughly three-in-ten (28%) are extremely or very worried that their teen’s use of social media could lead to problems with anxiety or depression, according to a spring 2022 survey of parents with children ages 13 to 17 . Parents of teen girls were more likely than parents of teen boys to be extremely or very worried on this front (32% vs. 24%). And Hispanic parents (37%) were more likely than those who are Black or White (26% each) to express a great deal of concern about this. (There were not enough Asian American parents in the sample to analyze separately. This survey also did not ask about parental concerns specifically in the context of the pandemic.)

A bar chart showing that on balance, K-12 parents say the first year of COVID had a negative impact on their kids’ education, emotional well-being

Looking back, many K-12 parents say the first year of the coronavirus pandemic had a negative effect on their children’s emotional health. In a fall 2022 survey of parents with K-12 children , 48% said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat negative impact on their children’s emotional well-being, while 39% said it had neither a positive nor negative effect. A small share of parents (7%) said the first year of the pandemic had a very or somewhat positive effect in this regard.

White parents and those from upper-income households were especially likely to say the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their K-12 children.

While around half of K-12 parents said the first year of the pandemic had a negative emotional impact on their kids, a larger share (61%) said it had a negative effect on their children’s education.

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Online religious services appeal to many americans, but going in person remains more popular, about a third of u.s. workers who can work from home now do so all the time, how the pandemic has affected attendance at u.s. religious services, economy remains the public’s top policy priority; covid-19 concerns decline again, most popular.

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v.12(6); 2020 Jun

Social Media Use and Its Connection to Mental Health: A Systematic Review

Fazida karim.

1 Psychology, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

2 Business & Management, University Sultan Zainal Abidin, Terengganu, MYS

Azeezat A Oyewande

3 Family Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

4 Family Medicine, Lagos State Health Service Commission/Alimosho General Hospital, Lagos, NGA

Lamis F Abdalla

5 Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA

Reem Chaudhry Ehsanullah

Safeera khan.

Social media are responsible for aggravating mental health problems. This systematic study summarizes the effects of social network usage on mental health. Fifty papers were shortlisted from google scholar databases, and after the application of various inclusion and exclusion criteria, 16 papers were chosen and all papers were evaluated for quality. Eight papers were cross-sectional studies, three were longitudinal studies, two were qualitative studies, and others were systematic reviews. Findings were classified into two outcomes of mental health: anxiety and depression. Social media activity such as time spent to have a positive effect on the mental health domain. However, due to the cross-sectional design and methodological limitations of sampling, there are considerable differences. The structure of social media influences on mental health needs to be further analyzed through qualitative research and vertical cohort studies.

Introduction and background

Human beings are social creatures that require the companionship of others to make progress in life. Thus, being socially connected with other people can relieve stress, anxiety, and sadness, but lack of social connection can pose serious risks to mental health [ 1 ].

Social media

Social media has recently become part of people's daily activities; many of them spend hours each day on Messenger, Instagram, Facebook, and other popular social media. Thus, many researchers and scholars study the impact of social media and applications on various aspects of people’s lives [ 2 ]. Moreover, the number of social media users worldwide in 2019 is 3.484 billion, up 9% year-on-year [ 3 - 5 ]. A statistic in Figure 1 shows the gender distribution of social media audiences worldwide as of January 2020, sorted by platform. It was found that only 38% of Twitter users were male but 61% were using Snapchat. In contrast, females were more likely to use LinkedIn and Facebook. There is no denying that social media has now become an important part of many people's lives. Social media has many positive and enjoyable benefits, but it can also lead to mental health problems. Previous research found that age did not have an effect but gender did; females were much more likely to experience mental health than males [ 6 , 7 ].

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Impact on mental health

Mental health is defined as a state of well-being in which people understand their abilities, solve everyday life problems, work well, and make a significant contribution to the lives of their communities [ 8 ]. There is debated presently going on regarding the benefits and negative impacts of social media on mental health [ 9 , 10 ]. Social networking is a crucial element in protecting our mental health. Both the quantity and quality of social relationships affect mental health, health behavior, physical health, and mortality risk [ 9 ]. The Displaced Behavior Theory may help explain why social media shows a connection with mental health. According to the theory, people who spend more time in sedentary behaviors such as social media use have less time for face-to-face social interaction, both of which have been proven to be protective against mental disorders [ 11 , 12 ]. On the other hand, social theories found how social media use affects mental health by influencing how people view, maintain, and interact with their social network [ 13 ]. A number of studies have been conducted on the impacts of social media, and it has been indicated that the prolonged use of social media platforms such as Facebook may be related to negative signs and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress [ 10 - 15 ]. Furthermore, social media can create a lot of pressure to create the stereotype that others want to see and also being as popular as others.

The need for a systematic review

Systematic studies can quantitatively and qualitatively identify, aggregate, and evaluate all accessible data to generate a warm and accurate response to the research questions involved [ 4 ]. In addition, many existing systematic studies related to mental health studies have been conducted worldwide. However, only a limited number of studies are integrated with social media and conducted in the context of social science because the available literature heavily focused on medical science [ 6 ]. Because social media is a relatively new phenomenon, the potential links between their use and mental health have not been widely investigated.

This paper attempt to systematically review all the relevant literature with the aim of filling the gap by examining social media impact on mental health, which is sedentary behavior, which, if in excess, raises the risk of health problems [ 7 , 9 , 12 ]. This study is important because it provides information on the extent of the focus of peer review literature, which can assist the researchers in delivering a prospect with the aim of understanding the future attention related to climate change strategies that require scholarly attention. This study is very useful because it provides information on the extent to which peer review literature can assist researchers in presenting prospects with a view to understanding future concerns related to mental health strategies that require scientific attention. The development of the current systematic review is based on the main research question: how does social media affect mental health?

Research strategy

The research was conducted to identify studies analyzing the role of social media on mental health. Google Scholar was used as our main database to find the relevant articles. Keywords that were used for the search were: (1) “social media”, (2) “mental health”, (3) “social media” AND “mental health”, (4) “social networking” AND “mental health”, and (5) “social networking” OR “social media” AND “mental health” (Table 1 ).

Keyword/Combination of Keyword	Database	Number of Results
“social media”	Google Scholar	877,000
“mental health”	Google Scholar	633,000
“social media” AND “mental health”	Google Scholar	78,000
“social networking” AND “mental health”	Google Scholar	18,600
"social networking "OR "social media" AND "mental health"	Google Scholar	17,000

Out of the results in Table 1 , a total of 50 articles relevant to the research question were selected. After applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria, duplicate papers were removed, and, finally, a total of 28 articles were selected for review (Figure 2 ).

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Object name is cureus-0012-00000008627-i02.jpg

PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Peer-reviewed, full-text research papers from the past five years were included in the review. All selected articles were in English language and any non-peer-reviewed and duplicate papers were excluded from finally selected articles.

Of the 16 selected research papers, there were a research focus on adults, gender, and preadolescents [ 10 - 19 ]. In the design, there were qualitative and quantitative studies [ 15 , 16 ]. There were three systematic reviews and one thematic analysis that explored the better or worse of using social media among adolescents [ 20 - 23 ]. In addition, eight were cross-sectional studies and only three were longitudinal studies [ 24 - 29 ].The meta-analyses included studies published beyond the last five years in this population. Table 2 presents a selection of studies from the review.

IGU, internet gaming disorder; PSMU, problematic social media use

Author	Title of Study	Method	Findings
Berryman et al. [ ]	Social Media Use and Mental Health among Young Adults	Cross-sectional	Social media use was not predictive of impaired mental health functioning.
Coyne et al. [ ]	Does Time Spent using Social Media Impact Mental Health?: An Eight Year Longitudinal Study	8-year longitudinal study	Increased time spent on social media was not associated with increased mental health issues across development when examined at the individual level.
Escobar-Viera et al. [ ]	For Better or for Worse? A Systematic Review of the Evidence on Social Media Use and Depression Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Minorities	Systematic Literature Review	Social media provides a space to disclose minority experiences and share ways to cope and get support; constant surveillance of one's social media profile can become a stressor, potentially leading to depression.
O’Reilly et al. [ ]	Potential of Social Media in Promoting Mental Health in Adolescents	qualitative study	Adolescents frequently utilize social media and the internet to seek information about mental health.
O’Reilly [ ]	Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly	focus groups	Much of the negative rhetoric of social media was repeated by mental health practitioners, although there was some acknowledgement of potential benefit.
Feder et al. [ ]	Is There an Association Between Social Media Use and Mental Health? The Timing of Confounding Measurement Matters	longitudinal	Frequent social media use report greater symptoms of psychopathology.
Rasmussen et al. [ ]	The Serially Mediated Relationship between Emerging Adults’ Social Media Use and Mental Well-Being	Exploratory study	Social media use may be a risk factor for mental health struggles among emerging adults and that social media use may be an activity which emerging adults resort to when dealing with difficult emotions.
Keles et al. [ ]	A Systematic Review: The Influence of Social Media on Depression, Anxiety and Psychological Distress in Adolescents	systematic review	Four domains of social media: time spent, activity, investment, and addiction. All domains correlated with depression, anxiety and psychological distress.
Nereim et al. [ ]	Social Media and Adolescent Mental Health: Who You Are and What You do Matter	Exploratory	Passive social media use (reading posts) is more strongly associated with depression than active use (making posts).
Mehmet et al. [ ]	Using Digital and Social Media for Health Promotion: A Social Marketing Approach for Addressing Co‐morbid Physical and Mental Health	Intervention	Social marketing digital media strategy as a health promotion methodology. The paper has provided a framework for implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of digital social media campaigns that can help consumers, carers, clinicians, and service planners address the challenges of rural health service delivery and the tyranny of distance,
Odgers and Jensen [ ]	Adolescent Mental Health in the Digital Age: Facts, Fears, and Future Directions	Review	The review highlights that most research to date has been correlational, has focused on adults versus adolescents, and has generated a mix of often conflicting small positive, negative, and null associations.
Twenge and Martin [ ]	Gender Differences in Associations between Digital Media Use and Psychological Well-Being: Evidence from Three Large Datasets	Cross-sectional	Females were found to be addicted to social media as compared with males.
Fardouly et al. [ ]	The Use of Social Media by Australian Preadolescents and its Links with Mental Health	Cross-sectional	Users of YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat reported more body image concerns and eating pathology than non-users, but did not differ on depressive symptoms or social anxiety
Wartberg et al. [ ]	Internet Gaming Disorder and Problematic Social Media Use in a Representative Sample of German Adolescents: Prevalence Estimates, Comorbid Depressive Symptoms, and Related Psychosocial Aspects	Cross-sectional	Bivariate logistic regression analyses showed that more depressive symptoms, lower interpersonal trust, and family functioning were statistically significantly associated with both IGD and PSMU.
Neira and Barber [ ]	Social Networking Site Use: Linked to Adolescents’ Social Self-Concept, Self-Esteem, and Depressed Mood	Cross-sectional	Higher investment in social media (e.g. active social media use) predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms. No relationship was found between the frequency of social media use and depressed mood.

This study has attempted to systematically analyze the existing literature on the effect of social media use on mental health. Although the results of the study were not completely consistent, this review found a general association between social media use and mental health issues. Although there is positive evidence for a link between social media and mental health, the opposite has been reported.

For example, a previous study found no relationship between the amount of time spent on social media and depression or between social media-related activities, such as the number of online friends and the number of “selfies”, and depression [ 29 ]. Similarly, Neira and Barber found that while higher investment in social media (e.g. active social media use) predicted adolescents’ depressive symptoms, no relationship was found between the frequency of social media use and depressed mood [ 28 ].

In the 16 studies, anxiety and depression were the most commonly measured outcome. The prominent risk factors for anxiety and depression emerging from this study comprised time spent, activity, and addiction to social media. In today's world, anxiety is one of the basic mental health problems. People liked and commented on their uploaded photos and videos. In today's age, everyone is immune to the social media context. Some teens experience anxiety from social media related to fear of loss, which causes teens to try to respond and check all their friends' messages and messages on a regular basis.

On the contrary, depression is one of the unintended significances of unnecessary use of social media. In detail, depression is limited not only to Facebooks but also to other social networking sites, which causes psychological problems. A new study found that individuals who are involved in social media, games, texts, mobile phones, etc. are more likely to experience depression.

The previous study found a 70% increase in self-reported depressive symptoms among the group using social media. The other social media influence that causes depression is sexual fun [ 12 ]. The intimacy fun happens when social media promotes putting on a facade that highlights the fun and excitement but does not tell us much about where we are struggling in our daily lives at a deeper level [ 28 ]. Another study revealed that depression and time spent on Facebook by adolescents are positively correlated [ 22 ]. More importantly, symptoms of major depression have been found among the individuals who spent most of their time in online activities and performing image management on social networking sites [ 14 ].

Another study assessed gender differences in associations between social media use and mental health. Females were found to be more addicted to social media as compared with males [ 26 ]. Passive activity in social media use such as reading posts is more strongly associated with depression than doing active use like making posts [ 23 ]. Other important findings of this review suggest that other factors such as interpersonal trust and family functioning may have a greater influence on the symptoms of depression than the frequency of social media use [ 28 , 29 ].

Limitation and suggestion

The limitations and suggestions were identified by the evidence involved in the study and review process. Previously, 7 of the 16 studies were cross-sectional and slightly failed to determine the causal relationship between the variables of interest. Given the evidence from cross-sectional studies, it is not possible to conclude that the use of social networks causes mental health problems. Only three longitudinal studies examined the causal relationship between social media and mental health, which is hard to examine if the mental health problem appeared more pronounced in those who use social media more compared with those who use it less or do not use at all [ 19 , 20 , 24 ]. Next, despite the fact that the proposed relationship between social media and mental health is complex, a few studies investigated mediating factors that may contribute or exacerbate this relationship. Further investigations are required to clarify the underlying factors that help examine why social media has a negative impact on some peoples’ mental health, whereas it has no or positive effect on others’ mental health.

Conclusions

Social media is a new study that is rapidly growing and gaining popularity. Thus, there are many unexplored and unexpected constructive answers associated with it. Lately, studies have found that using social media platforms can have a detrimental effect on the psychological health of its users. However, the extent to which the use of social media impacts the public is yet to be determined. This systematic review has found that social media envy can affect the level of anxiety and depression in individuals. In addition, other potential causes of anxiety and depression have been identified, which require further exploration.

The importance of such findings is to facilitate further research on social media and mental health. In addition, the information obtained from this study can be helpful not only to medical professionals but also to social science research. The findings of this study suggest that potential causal factors from social media can be considered when cooperating with patients who have been diagnosed with anxiety or depression. Also, if the results from this study were used to explore more relationships with another construct, this could potentially enhance the findings to reduce anxiety and depression rates and prevent suicide rates from occurring.

The content published in Cureus is the result of clinical experience and/or research by independent individuals or organizations. Cureus is not responsible for the scientific accuracy or reliability of data or conclusions published herein. All content published within Cureus is intended only for educational, research and reference purposes. Additionally, articles published within Cureus should not be deemed a suitable substitute for the advice of a qualified health care professional. Do not disregard or avoid professional medical advice due to content published within Cureus.

The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

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Children’s Mental Health Research

Mental health in the community
Different data sources
National data sets

Research on children’s mental health in the community

Project to learn about youth – mental health.

The Project to Learn About Youth – Mental Health (PLAY-MH) analyzed information collected from four communities. The focus was to study attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and other externalizing and internalizing disorders, as well as tic disorders in school-aged children. The purpose was to learn more about public health prevention and intervention strategies to support children’s health and development.

Schoolchildren looking for traffic while waiting to cross the road

Read about the results of the Play-MH study

Study questions included:

What percentage of children in the community had one or more externalizing, internalizing, or tic disorders?
How frequently did these disorders appear together?
What types of treatment were children receiving in their communities?

This project used the same methodology as the original Project to Learn about ADHD in Youth (PLAY) project. Read more about the original study approach here .

Other research

Research on prevalence

What is It and Why is It Important?

Using different data sources

Healthcare providers, public health researchers, educators, and policy makers can get information about the prevalence of children’s mental health disorders from a variety of sources. Data sources, such as national surveys, community-based studies, and administrative claims data (like healthcare insurance claims), use different study methods and provide different types of information, each with advantages and disadvantages. Advantages and disadvantages for different data sources include the following:

National surveys have large sample sizes that are needed to create estimates at the national and state levels. However, they also generally use a parent’s report of the child’s diagnosis, which means that the healthcare provider has to give an accurate diagnosis and the parent has to accurately remember what it was.
Community-based studies offer the opportunity to observe children’s symptoms, which means that even children who have not been diagnosed or do not have the right diagnosis could be found. However, these studies are typically done in small geographic areas, so findings are not necessarily the same in other communities.
Administrative claims are typically very large datasets with information on diagnosis and treatment directly from the providers, which allows tracking changes over time. Because they are recorded for billing purposes, diagnoses or services that would not be reimbursed from the specific health insurance might not be recorded in the data.

Using different sources of data together provides more information because it is possible to describe the following:

Children with a diagnosed condition compared to children who have the same symptoms, but are not diagnosed
Differences between populations with or without health insurance
How estimates for mental health disorders change over time

Read more about using different data sources.

National data on children’s mental health

A comprehensive report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Mental Health Surveillance Among Children — United States, 2013 – 2019 , described federal efforts on monitoring mental disorders, and presented estimates of the number of children with specific mental disorders as well as for positive indicators of mental health. The report was developed in collaboration with the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA ), the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH ), and the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA ). It represents an update to the first ever cross-agency children’s mental health surveillance report in 2013.

Read a summary of the findings for the current report using data from 2012-2019

Read a summary of the findings for the first report using data from 2005-2011 .

The goal is now to build on the strengths of federal agencies serving children with mental disorders to:

Develop better ways to document how many children have these disorders,
Better understand the impacts of mental disorders,
Inform needs for treatment and intervention strategies, and
Promote the mental health of children.

This report is an important step on the road to recognizing the impact of childhood mental disorders and developing a public health approach to address children’s mental health.

Holbrook JR, Bitsko RB, Danielson ML, Visser SN. Interpreting the Prevalence of Mental Disorders in Children: Tribulation and Triangulation. Health Promotion Practice. Published online November 15, 2016 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/27852820 .

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http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6939-2298 Shannon Maloney 1 ,
Merle Kock 2 ,
Yasmijn Slaghekke 1 ,
Lucy Radley 3 ,
Alba Lopez-Montoyo 4 ,
Jesus Montero-Marin 1 , 5 , 6 ,
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8596-5252 Willem Kuyken 1
1 Department of Psychiatry , University of Oxford , Oxford , Oxfordshire , UK
2 Centre for the Psychology of Learning and Experimental Psychopathology , KU Leuven , Leuven , Flanders , Belgium
3 Department of Experimental Psychology , University of Oxford , Oxford , UK
4 Universitat Jaume I , Castello de la Plana , Comunitat Valenciana , Spain
5 Teaching, Research & Innovation Unit , Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu , Sant Boi de Llobregat , Spain
6 Consortium for Biomedical Research in Epidemiology & Public Health (CIBER Epidemiology and Public Health - CIBERESP) , Madrid , Spain
Correspondence to Dr Shannon Maloney, Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 2JD, UK; shannon.maloney{at}psych.ox.ac.uk

Question Mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) and practices have demonstrated effects in mental health and well-being, yet questions regarding the target mechanisms that drive change across the population remain unresolved.

Study selection and analysis Five databases were searched for randomised controlled trials that evaluate the indirect effects (IEs) of an MBP or mindfulness practice in relation to mental health and well-being outcomes through psychological mechanisms.

Findings 27 eligible studies were identified, with only four exploring mechanisms in the context of specific mindfulness practices. Significant IEs were reported for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness (eg, self-compassion) across different outcomes, population samples, mental health strategies and active comparators. Evidence gap maps and requirements for testing and reporting IEs are provided to help guide future work.

Conclusions Mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness may be key intervention targets for addressing the mental health of whole populations. However, future work needs to address significant knowledge gaps regarding the evidence for alternative mechanisms (eg, attention and awareness) in relation to unique outcomes (eg, well-being), mental health strategies (ie, promotion) and active comparators. High-quality trials, with powered multivariate mediation analyses that meet key requirements, will be needed to advance this area of work.

Trial registration number 10.17605/OSF.IO/NY2AH.

Adult psychiatry
Depression & mood disorders

Data availability statement

All data relevant to the study are included in the article or uploaded as online supplemental information. Not applicable.

This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 Unported (CC BY 4.0) license, which permits others to copy, redistribute, remix, transform and build upon this work for any purpose, provided the original work is properly cited, a link to the licence is given, and indication of whether changes were made. See: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ .

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjment-2023-300955

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WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ON THIS TOPIC

Mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) and practices have demonstrated effects in mental health and well-being, yet questions regarding the target mechanisms that drive change across the population remain unresolved.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

This review aims to build on past reviews by (1) summarising the evidence for potential mechanisms underlying mindfulness practices as one key subcomponent of MBPs; (2) prioritising high quality and established formal analytical methods of mediation; and (3) examining the evidence for mechanisms in relation to outcomes that map across the population.

HOW THIS STUDY MIGHT AFFECT RESEARCH, PRACTICE OR POLICY

The hope is that the findings of this review will help inform future work and provide novel insight into the broader application of MBPs and the potential mechanisms responsible for shifting more of the population towards the ‘highs’ and away from the ‘lows’.

It has been estimated that around one in every eight individuals have a mental health condition and its attribution to total disease burden continues to rise on a global scale. 1 Mental health conditions concern a broad range of disorders, psychosocial disabilities and mental states of distress. Mental health, on the other hand, refers to the capacity of thought, emotion and behaviour that allows an individual to realise their own potential and positively contribute to their community. It exists on a continuum and, therefore, concerns the entire population. 1 Mental health approaches, which solely address those with mental health conditions (ie, high-risk strategies , eg, treatment), leave a larger percentage of the population susceptible to entering ill health without intervention. To address this concern, global mental health agendas have recognised the importance of population-based strategies , which aim to address the entire population distribution from the ‘lows’ (eg, poor mental health, low well-being) to the ‘highs’ (eg, good mental health, high well-being) and ultimately shift this distribution in a more positive direction.

Mindfulness-based programmes (MBPs) may serve as one potential pathway to help improve mental health and well-being across a wider distribution of the population. MBPs align with broader global mental health objectives by prioritising prevention to reduce the development of mental health conditions, building resilience in individuals and communities and recognising the importance of addressing mental health on a continuum (eg, ‘the lows’ to ‘the highs’). 2 MBPs were introduced in mainstream settings when mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) was developed to help people with physical health conditions manage symptoms, such as chronic pain. 3 Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), an adaptation which includes psychoeducation elements from cognitive–behavioural therapy (CBT), was developed to help prevent depressive relapse. 4 MBSR/MBCT are traditionally formatted as 8-week programmes with weekly group-based sessions, led by a trained mindfulness instructor, and include daily self-led home-based mindfulness practice. These programmes have demonstrated effectiveness in those with recurrent depression (MBCT) and chronic pain (MBSR). 5 6 There is also a growing body of evidence that has demonstrated that mindfulness interventions can help a wider distribution of the population experience improvements in mental well-being. 7 However, more work is needed to further understand effectiveness, and the mechanisms of action of MBPs within this broader global mental health approach.

Theoretical frameworks 8 suggest that the model of change for MBPs is driven by the cultivation of mindfulness skills. Mindfulness, as a multidimensional construct, involves paying attention to the present moment experience with attitudes such as self-compassion, curiosity, kindness and care. It enables people to take a wider perspective (sometimes called decentering or meta-awareness) and see both internal and external stimuli as temporary events. The theory of MBCT and MBSR postulates that through an increase in mindfulness skills individuals with recurrent depression (MBCT) and chronic pain (MBSR), respectively, can attend to their internal experiences (eg, thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations) without judgement—allowing them to see these experiences more objectively (ie, decentering or meta-awareness) and as temporary which can help reduce maladaptive strategies (eg, rumination, reactivity) which exacerbate symptoms. Past reviews have examined mechanisms of change underlying MBPs in the context of more clinical or at-risk populations (eg, individuals with recurrent depression or psychological and physical conditions) and found consistent evidence for mindfulness skills in relation to clinical outcomes. 9 10 Additional reviews 11 12 have investigated mechanisms of MBPs across a wider distribution of the population (eg, clinical and non-clinical samples) and found consistent evidence for mindfulness skills and reactivity (eg, emotional, cognitive) in relation to mental health outcomes (eg, anxiety, depression, psychological distress, stress, negative affectivity). However, these reviews do not evaluate the quality of mediation testing and reporting in alignment with emerging mediation frameworks. 13 In light of the growing evidence base for MBPs and their efficacy across a wider distribution of the population and in relation to outcomes pertaining to the positive valence system (eg, mental well-being), 7 14–18 an updated review that comprehensively maps out the evidence for potential mechanisms that may be shared across and unique to different population samples and outcomes is needed. There is also an argument for investigating mechanisms in the context of independent components of MBPs (ie, individual mindfulness practices) to further understand active ingredients. Past reviews have demonstrated that stand-alone mindfulness practices produce change in outcomes relating to symptoms of depression, anxiety and stress with small-to-moderate effects. 19 20 Moreover, there is a growing body of evidence that has examined potential mechanisms of individual practices and practice modules. 21 22 However, this area of research is underdeveloped and warrants further investigation.

The primary aim of this review is to summarise the evidence for target mechanisms, underlying MBPs and mindfulness practices, which may be shared across or unique to different population samples and outcomes. This review aims to build on past reviews by (1) summarising the evidence for potential mechanisms underlying mindfulness practices as one key subcomponent of MBPs, (2) prioritising high quality and established formal analytical methods of mediation and (3) examining the evidence for mechanisms in relation to outcomes that map across the population. The hope is that the findings of this review will help inform future work and provide novel insight into the broader application of MBPs and the potential mechanisms responsible for shifting more of the population towards the ‘highs’ and away from the ‘lows’.

Study selection and analysis

A scoping review approach was implemented to allow for an iterative and exploratory focus to assess the broad research question, to map the available evidence for mediation in relation to emerging frameworks for testing and reporting the indirect effect (IE) and to map key conceptual terms for mechanisms and outcomes. Several frameworks 23 24 were used as guidance and the reporting follows the checklist for Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for Scoping Reviews. 25 This review was preregistered with Open Science Framework (OSF) on 16 July 2020 (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/XJDSU ). A pre-print protocol was made available on 14 September 2020, outlining the research questions, methods and data synthesis strategy. The initial search was run on 13 December 2020, with additional searches run on 25 July 2022, 20 December 2022, 3 July 2023 and 7 March 2024. An addendum to the preregistration form was submitted to OSF on 3 November 2021 (DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/NY2AH ) and an updated protocol was uploaded to OSF on 1 April 2023 (see online supplemental 1 ). The timeline for these updates is summarised in online supplemental 2 .

Supplemental material

Five electronic databases (PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Scopus and Cochrane Central) were searched for relevant records up until 7 March 2024. The search string was developed by first breaking down the research question (‘Through which mediators and mechanisms do MBPs and mindfulness practices produce change in the adult population’) by population (ie, relevant characteristics of participant sample; eg, entire adult population distribution), context (ie, the setting or discipline; eg, mindfulness) and concept terms (ie, research designs, frameworks, theories; eg, mediation). 26 Synonyms and related terms were then generated. The search string was refined by running a mock search in PubMed and consulting experts in the field, such as mindfulness teachers and a research librarian. Key terms in the search string included ‘ mechanism* ’, ‘ mediat* ’, ‘ mindfulness ’ and ‘ mindfulness-based ’. Specific practice terms included: ‘ body scan ’, ‘ mindful movement ’ and ‘ yoga ’. The search string used for each database is provided in online supplemental 3 . Other sources (eg, Web of Science conference proceedings, PsycEXTRA and connectedpapers.com ) were searched for grey literature up until 7 March 2024. The snowballing method was also implemented to identify additional records from the reference lists of the included papers ( online supplemental 4 ) and key systematic reviews. 9–12

The inclusion and exclusion criteria reflect the population, context and concept. 26 In terms of the population, we included any study concerning an adult sample (aged 18 and above) to reflect the entire adult population distribution (from mental health conditions to well-being). For the context, eligible studies evaluated an MBP defined by Crane et al 27 or a formal mindfulness practice that, in the context of an MBP, is home-based, scheduled with audio guidance and practised at least three times per week. This criterion was developed from a content analysis of four key MBP curricula ( online supplemental 5 ). For the concept, we included studies that evaluated the IEs of an MBP or formal mindfulness practice (independent variable) on mental health and well-being outcomes (dependent variable) through psychological mediators (mechanism) (see online supplemental 6 for a visual depiction of the IE). The evaluation of the IE followed recommendations outlined by Zhao et al , 13 which establish five categories of mediation (complementary, competitive, indirect-only, direct-only effect or no effect). For more information regarding these criteria, see online supplemental 7 . Only studies that implemented a randomised controlled trial (RCT) design with a control group that had active ingredients were included to capture the highest-quality evidence. The comparator was loosely defined as including ‘active’ ingredients if it included more than the mere passage of time (eg, wait list control group). For more details on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, see online supplemental 8 .

Each record was screened by at least two independent authors for titles and abstracts (SM, MK, YS, JM-M and LR) and full texts (SM, MK, YS and AL-M). Following Siddaway et al , data extraction was piloted and completed by one author (SM), with 15% of the output randomly cross-checked by a second author (YS, MK and JM-M). 28 Any disagreements were resolved by a third author. For records that did not have the full text, corresponding authors were contacted. The following information was piloted and then extracted for charting: (1) author(s) and year of publication, (2) sample characteristics, (3) type of mental health strategy (ie, treatment, prevention or promotion), (4) type of MBP or formal mindfulness practice, (5) dosage, (6) delivery mode (eg, online or face to face), (7) type of active comparator(s), (8) reported mechanisms, (9) reported outcomes, (10) data analytic approach for testing mediation and (11) key findings. A narrative synthesis was conducted whereby evidence gap maps help elucidate how and why MBPs and practices may work in relation to different outcomes, mental health strategies (eg, population samples) and active comparators. Further details can be found in online supplemental materials on the evidence gap map methodology ( online supplemental 9 ) and conceptual mapping of key terms (ie, outcomes, mechanisms, mental health strategies) ( online supplemental 10 and 11 ). Quality assessments for testing and reporting IEs are provided in online supplemental 12 .

The PRISMA flow chart shows 43 392 records identified across the 5 electronic databases. Before the records were screened for eligibility, 25 394 records were removed as duplicates. Six additional records were identified from either snowballing included papers or past reviews, searching grey literature sources or corresponding authors sharing additional papers. For title and abstract screening, 18 004 records were reviewed by two independent referees, with 16 715 excluded, leaving 1289 records for full-text screening. A total of 30 records were included in the review with 3 records sharing the same sample with another record, leaving 27 eligible studies ( figure 1 ).

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PRISMA flow chart. The PRISMA flow diagram of the records initially identified from the database search before and after deduplication is illustrated. The chart also outlines the records screened at the title and abstract stage as well as the full-text stage, including the number of records removed after full-text screening with the reasons specified. The additional records found outside of the search (n=6) were identified from either forward or backward citation searching of the included records and relevant reviews, from grey literature sources or from corresponding authors who shared additional records. Out of the 30 records included, 3 records shared the same sample with another record and therefore there were 27 studies included in total. Note that both English and Spanish publications were considered, given the primary languages of the research team. However, all included studies were published in English and, therefore, no Spanish publications met the inclusion criteria. RCT, randomised controlled trial.

General findings, regarding the scope of the evidence, indicate four eligible studies that evaluated a formal mindfulness practice (1 body scan, 1 mindfulness of emotions, 1 breath and 1 body scan and breath) and 23 studies that evaluated an MBP. In terms of outcomes, 11 studies examined outcomes related to mental health conditions, 16 studies examined outcomes related to mental languishing and 9 studies examined outcomes related to well-being. 11 studies examined an MBP or practice as a treatment strategy (10=MBP, 1=practice), 16 as a prevention strategy (14=MBP, 2=practice) and 9 as a promotion strategy only (8=MBP, 1=practice). For the 16 studies that implemented a preventive strategy, 4 examined universal prevention, none examined indicated prevention only, 6 explored selective prevention only and 6 studies examined elements of both indicated and selective prevention. The majority of the included studies compared an MBP to treatment as usual (TAU) (n=13). Five studies compared an MBP or practice to stress management or relaxation (SM/R), three studies compared an MBP to CBT or cognitive interventions (CBT/CI), four studies compared an MBP or practice to attentional control (AC) and three studies compared an MBP to self-help mindfulness (SH-M).

Evidence gap maps were generated to summarise the number of significant, non-significant and opposite direction IEs by outcome (mental health conditions, mental languishing, well-being), type of mental health strategy (treatment, prevention, promotion) and type of active comparator (TAU, SM/R, CBT/CI, AC and SH-M). The largest proportion of significant IEs to non-significant or opposite direction IEs was demonstrated for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness in relation to mental languishing outcomes; with mixed findings in the context of outcomes pertaining to mental health conditions; and preliminary evidence in the context of well-being ( figure 2 ). With the evidence by mental health strategy, the largest proportion of significant IEs was found for mindfulness skills, decentering, and attitudes of mindfulness in the context of prevention; with mixed evidence in the context of treatment; and preliminary evidence in the context of promotion ( figure 3 ). The most commonly used active comparator was TAU, whereby there were significant IEs for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness in the context of the mindfulness condition but not TAU ( figure 4 ). Online supplemental 13 provides additional information regarding key findings.

Following the Zhao et al ’s 13 framework, all included studies (n=27) reported the significance of the IE. However, out of these studies, only 13 studies fully reported the significance of the direct effect (DE), after controlling for the IE, and reported the sign of the IE and DE to accurately classify the type of mediation. 13 Out of these 13 studies, 5 reported complementary mediation, none reported competitive mediation, 10 reported indirect-only mediation, 3 reported direct-only effects and 1 reported no effects (non-mediation) ( figure 5 ). In terms of overall quality assessment for mediation, following the Zhao et al ’s 13 and Kazdin’s 29 (2007) frameworks, the overall rating (score range 0–30) was high for reporting the IE (score of 22), high for plausibility or coherence (score of 25.5), intermediate (score of 12.5) for timeline and low (score of 6) for gradient ( online supplemental 12 ).

Flow chart of included studies by mediation type and reporting requirements. The flow chart of the included studies is illustrated based on meeting key steps for reporting and categorising mediation: (1) the significance of path a×b, (2) the significance of path c and (3) the sign of paths a×b and c. All included studies reported the significance of the a×b path as this was a key inclusion criteria. From there, the number of included studies (n) that reported the significance of path c was recorded, followed by the number of included studies that reported the sign of the a×b and c paths. At the bottom of the flow chart, we have the total number of studies for each category of mediation. Note that for studies that partially demonstrated the significance of path c and partially demonstrated the signs of a×b and c, this meant that these papers met the criteria for some findings but not for all. Only 13 studies fully met these criteria, and therefore mediation categories were determined. This figure reflects key findings in online supplemental 13 and was adapted from Zhao et al . 13 .

Conclusions and clinical implications

The aim of this scoping review was to summarise the literature on potential target mechanisms underlying MBPs and formal mindfulness practices that may drive change in mental health and well-being across the population. The results of this review demonstrated limited high-quality evidence in the context of individual formal mindfulness practices, as one key component of MBPs. The current review identified additional knowledge gaps in terms of the evidence for potential mechanisms by outcome ( figure 2 ), mental health strategy ( figure 3 ) and active comparator ( figure 4 ).

Looking at the evidence by outcomes, the results provided preliminary support for mindfulness skills, decentering, and attitudes of mindfulness as potential target mechanisms ( figure 2 ). The largest number of significant IEs was found in the context of mental languishing outcomes (ie, mental health symptoms), which builds on the results of past reviews. 9–12 In the context of outcomes relating to mental health conditions, the evidence was mixed. Significant IEs for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness were also reported in relation to well-being outcomes; however, future research will need to replicate these findings. The evidence by mental health strategy demonstrated consistent evidence for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness in the context of prevention, mixed evidence in the context of treatment and preliminary evidence in the context of promotion ( figure 3 ). In terms of the evidence by active comparator ( figure 4 ), preliminary evidence for changes in mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness was found when the mindfulness condition was compared with TAU. However, TAU ranged across studies (eg, continuation of medication and/or psychotherapy and/or regular doctor visits) with differing levels of adherence. For many studies, TAU was also included within the mindfulness condition, which made it difficult to understand mindfulness-specific effects. Overall, very few studies replicated findings whereby the same putative mechanism was tested in the context of one active comparator category. The largest number of opposite direction IEs were found in the context of comparing an MBP to cognitive–behavioural therapy or cognitive interventions (CBT/CI), which may suggest that CBT/CI may demonstrate superiority in terms of activating certain putative mechanisms (eg, empathy, reappraisal self-efficacy, safety behaviours) in relation to specific outcomes (eg, social anxiety). This mirrors what past reviews have found in terms of outcomes, with limited evidence for MBP superiority when compared with current gold-standard treatments (eg, CBT). 5 7 Across all evidence gap maps ( figures 2–4 ), one key hypothesis generated was that changes in mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness may be responsible for shifting the entire population more towards improved outcome ( figure 6 ). However, this hypothesis will need to be tested in future work across a wider range of population samples, outcomes and active comparators.

Conceptual framework of target mechanisms. A conceptual framework of target mechanisms that may be responsible for shifting change across the entire population distribution (eg, from mental health conditions to mental languishing to well-being) is illustrated. In this figure, the ‘red’ region on the left-hand side represents outcomes pertaining to mental health conditions (eg, anxious, depressive and adjustment disorders; psychosomatic disorders; behavioural disorders, etc). The ‘orange-to-yellow’ region represents outcomes pertaining to mental languishing (eg, mental health symptoms, stress, burnout, etc). The ‘blue’ region represents outcomes pertaining to well-being (eg, mental well-being, quality of life, positive affect, positive states of mind, etc). The grey arrow represents the proposed mechanisms of change (ie, mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness). This conceptual framework was informed by the results of the scoping review and summarises key hypotheses regarding the ‘how’ and ‘why’ mindfulness-based programmes and practices work across the whole population distribution. However, future research will need to further interrogate this conceptual framework in different contexts (eg, mental health strategies, ie, promotion), outcomes (eg, well-being) and active comparators (eg, self-help mindfulness, attentional control). Illustration by Delphine Perrot.

In addition to mapping out the evidence for mechanisms underlying MBPs and mindfulness practices, another aim of this review was to interrogate the quality of the evidence with regard to meeting key testing and reporting requirements for mediation. All eligible studies tested the IE and implemented an RCT design with a comparator that had some active components (ie, more than the mere passage of time) as this was a key inclusion criteria. Some excluded studies explored the IE but only within the mindfulness condition 30–32 and others compared the MBP or mindfulness practice to a passive control group (ie, wait list). 14 33–36 Additional studies were excluded on the basis of using alternative analytic methods (eg, simple correlations) that could not effectively calculate the IEs or its significance and, in consequence, determine the type of mediation. 37–40 Out of the included studies, 13 fully met all reporting requirements ( figure 5 ). Out of these thirteen studies, the majority found indirect-only mediation and demonstrated consistent support for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness (ie, self-compassion) as putative mechanisms across a range of outcomes (eg, stress, depression, anxiety, burnout, well-being) and samples (eg, secondary school teachers, partial remitters for MDD) ( online supplemental 13 ).

Additional criteria for establishing and reporting a mechanism of change were also evaluated. 29 The included records scored a high quality score for the reporting of the IE. However, the assumption is that this quality score would be much lower if we looked across all mechanism studies conducted in the mindfulness field, considering the inclusion and exclusion criteria of this review. For the other criteria explored ( online supplemental 12 ), the overall quality score was high for the ‘plausibility and coherence’ criterion, intermediate for the ‘timeline’ criterion and low for the ‘gradient’ criterion. For the timeline criterion, only 12 studies met this criterion which suggests that future work should incorporate research designs or analytic strategies that minimise measurement overlap for proposed mediators and outcomes. This is an area of research that is advancing and there are statistical analyses that can help disentangle this relationship (eg, cross-lagged panel models 41 ) even when there is overlap with measurement timepoints. Overall, this criterion helps with increasing confidence in establishing temporality, which indicates that change in the proposed mediator occurs before change in outcome. For the gradient criterion, only five studies met this criterion which indicates that more work is required to establish that different doses (eg, longer home-based practices or number of sessions) are related to changes in the proposed mediator and outcome to help increase confidence that changes in the mediator are a result of mindfulness-specific components. The ‘high’ score for plausibility and coherence suggests that the selected studies were mostly driven by a proposed theoretical framework, which is one strength of the included studies (n=21) which met this criterion ( online supplemental 12 ).

One strength of this scoping review includes the breadth of the topic and search strategy to provide a comprehensive summary of putative psychological mechanisms and to identify knowledge gaps. Another strength of the review is the adherence to emerging mediation frameworks, 13 29 which meant that the highest-quality evidence for mediation was identified. In terms of limitations, the evidence gap maps captured multiple findings from the same study and many studies presented findings across multiple categories (eg, mechanisms, outcomes, mental health strategy) which could inflate the evidence; however, the number of studies per category are specified to help manage this and the hope is that this presentation will help clearly map out what has and has not been explored. Although many researchers were involved in the conceptual mapping of measurements onto categories, future work is needed to reach a consensus on how mindfulness and overlapping processes (eg, attention and awareness, attitudes of mindfulness, and decentering) are operationally defined. Additionally, the inclusion of RCTs with ‘active comparators’ may have skewed the results to more clinical samples and ‘high-risk’ approaches (eg, treatment and indicated prevention) whereby active comparators are more established compared with alternative strategies (eg, universal prevention, promotion) which address a wider distribution of the population (eg, general population samples). Moreover, the majority of studies included TAU control groups which can be flawed with issues such as resentful demoralisation whereby participants in the TAU arm, aware of the treatment arm, may feel disheartened and report less desirable outcomes. To address these limitations, future work will need to explore active comparators in a range of contexts (eg, mental health strategies, outcomes, population samples) and consider how to reduce potential bias. Qualitative studies and alternative research designs (eg, quasi-experimental) were not included in the current review to isolate the highest quality evidence for mediation; however, these methods may be useful in identifying additional mechanisms of change. Therefore, qualitative methods and alternative designs may serve as starting points and future work can then test hypothesised mechanisms with an RCT design and by following key testing and reporting requirements (see online supplemental 14 ).

Focusing solely on those with mental health conditions or who are languishing leaves the majority of the population susceptible to entering ill health without any intervention. 42 Therefore, there is a global health argument for going beyond treatment and looking at mental health across a wider distribution of the population. Adaptations of MBCT/MBSR for the general population have been developed, and there is preliminary evidence that supports their efficacy. 14 16 43 However, more work is required to extrapolate the putative mechanisms that may be shared across or unique to these adaptations and their parent programmes to help optimise their effectiveness and increase scalability. In this review, the results provided preliminary support for mindfulness skills, decentering and attitudes of mindfulness as key intervention targets for addressing mental health of whole populations ( figure 6 ). However, the field moving forward requires more RCTs, with active comparators that include more than the mere passage of time and TAU, to further understand the unique benefits of MBPs and their potential utility of applying them more broadly. In parallel, proper testing and reporting of mediation 13 29 44 is needed to help refine the proposed theoretical framework to then help support thoughtful adaptations of MBPs.

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Acknowledgments.

The authors greatly appreciate all the time and effort Mrs Karine Barker took to help test the sensitivity and feasibility of the search strategy. She is a research librarian at the Radcliffe Science Library, Bodleian Libraries, Oxford, UK. A special thanks to Ruth Baer and Andreas Voldstad for their feedback in the final stages.

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JM-M and WK are joint senior authors.

X @shann_maloney

Contributors SM, JM-M and WK conceived the work, its methodology and interpretation. SM, JM-M, YS, MK, LR and AL-M all contributed to the initial search and with refining the scope of the review. SM wrote the first draft of this manuscript, and all authors read and approved the final version. SM was responsible for the overall content as the guarantor.

Funding This research was funded by the Wellcome Trust (WT104908/Z/14/Z and WT107496/Z/15/Z) and by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) Oxford Health Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR203316). JM-M has a ‘Miguel Servet’ research contract from the ISCIII (CP21/00080) and is grateful to the CIBER of Epidemiology and Public Health (CIBERESP CB22/02/00052; ISCIII) for its support. MK was supported by the Research Foundation—Flanders (FWO-Vlaanderen) under a PhD fellowship (11I1622N).

Disclaimer The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the Wellcome Trust, NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a CC BY public copyright licence to any author-accepted manuscript version arising from this submission.

Competing interests None declared.

Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.

Supplemental material This content has been supplied by the author(s). It has not been vetted by BMJ Publishing Group Limited (BMJ) and may not have been peer-reviewed. Any opinions or recommendations discussed are solely those of the author(s) and are not endorsed by BMJ. BMJ disclaims all liability and responsibility arising from any reliance placed on the content. Where the content includes any translated material, BMJ does not warrant the accuracy and reliability of the translations (including but not limited to local regulations, clinical guidelines, terminology, drug names and drug dosages), and is not responsible for any error and/or omissions arising from translation and adaptation or otherwise.

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Published: 24 August 2024

User engagement in clinical trials of digital mental health interventions: a systematic review

Jack Elkes 1 ,
Suzie Cro 1 ,
Rachel Batchelor 2 ,
Siobhan O’Connor 3 ,
Ly-Mee Yu 2 ,
Lauren Bell 4 ,
Victoria Harris 2 ,
Jacqueline Sin 5 na1 &
Victoria Cornelius 1 na1

BMC Medical Research Methodology volume 24 , Article number: 184 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

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Introduction

Digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) overcome traditional barriers enabling wider access to mental health support and allowing individuals to manage their treatment. How individuals engage with DMHIs impacts the intervention effect. This review determined whether the impact of user engagement was assessed in the intervention effect in Randomised Controlled Trials (RCTs) evaluating DMHIs targeting common mental disorders (CMDs).

This systematic review was registered on Prospero (CRD42021249503). RCTs published between 01/01/2016 and 17/09/2021 were included if evaluated DMHIs were delivered by app or website; targeted patients with a CMD without non-CMD comorbidities (e.g., diabetes); and were self-guided. Databases searched: Medline; PsycInfo; Embase; and CENTRAL. All data was double extracted. A meta-analysis compared intervention effect estimates when accounting for engagement and when engagement was ignored.

We identified 184 articles randomising 43,529 participants. Interventions were delivered predominantly via websites (145, 78.8%) and 140 (76.1%) articles reported engagement data. All primary analyses adopted treatment policy strategies, ignoring engagement levels. Only 19 (10.3%) articles provided additional intervention effect estimates accounting for user engagement: 2 (10.5%) conducted a complier-average-causal effect (CACE) analysis (principal stratum strategy) and 17 (89.5%) used a less-preferred per-protocol (PP) population excluding individuals failing to meet engagement criteria (estimand strategies unclear). Meta-analysis for PP estimates, when accounting for user engagement, changed the standardised effect to -0.18 95% CI (-0.32, -0.04) from − 0.14 95% CI (-0.24, -0.03) and sample sizes reduced by 33% decreasing precision, whereas meta-analysis for CACE estimates were − 0.19 95% CI (-0.42, 0.03) from − 0.16 95% CI (-0.38, 0.06) with no sample size decrease and less impact on precision.

Discussion

Many articles report user engagement metrics but few assessed the impact on the intervention effect missing opportunities to answer important patient centred questions for how well DMHIs work for engaged users. Defining engagement in this area is complex, more research is needed to obtain ways to categorise this into groups. However, the majority that considered engagement in analysis used approaches most likely to induce bias.

Peer Review reports

One in four people experience a mental health problem every year [ 1 ]. However, an estimated 70% with mental ill health are unable to access treatment [ 2 ]. App and web-based tools, collectively digital mental health interventions (DMHIs), are low cost, scalable [ 3 ], and have potential for overcoming traditional barriers to treatment access, such as physical access (flexibility in treatment location), confidentiality (providing anonymity), and stigma [ 4 ]. In recent years, the number of available DMHIs has rapidly increasd [ 5 ], the Apple App Store alone has over 10,000 behavioural apps [ 6 ]. This rapid increase combined with the complex nature of DMHIs has meant safety and effectiveness regulations have lagged behind [ 7 ]. Additionally, many DMHIs are developed for commercial purposes and marketed to the public without scientific evidence [ 8 ]. The current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines [ 9 ] for digital health technologies, advocate for use of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to evaluate the effectiveness of digital interventions in specific conditions such as mental health. Promisingly, the number of digital interventions evaluated in RCTs over the last decade has more than doubled [ 10 ].

Many DMHIs are developed through the digitalisations of existing services, such as online self-led formats of conventional therapist-delivered treatments. However, in contrary to conventional therapist-led treatments, DMHIs offer flexible anytime access for individuals [ 11 ]. This change in delivery means existing evidence of risk-benefit balance from structured therapist-delivered interventions is not translatable. DMHIs are potential solutions to provide more individuals with much needed treatment access, but they are not without challenges. In 2018 the James Lind Alliance (JLA) patient priority setting group for DMHIs set out the top 10 challenges to address [ 12 ]. Overcoming these challenges is essential for DMHIs to successfully improve treatment access and health outcomes in mental health [ 13 , 14 ]. One theme that emerged from across the priorities was the importance of improving methods for evaluating DMHIs including the impact of user engagement.

The impact user engagement has on DMHIs efficacy is poorly understood [ 6 , 15 , 16 ]. Although DMHIs are widely available, user engagement with DMHIs is typically low [ 17 ]. For multi-component DMHIs (commonly including psychoeducation, cognitive exercises, self-monitoring diary), a minimally sufficient engagement in DMHIs is often crucial for establishing behavioural changes and thus improved health outcomes [ 18 ]. However, achieved sustained behavioural changes by engaging with DMHIs is a multidimensional construct that is both challenging to assess and the pathway for patients to achieve this is complex [ 19 , 20 ]. Unlike other interventions, DMHIs are unique in that web-based or app-based interventions can capture interactions from individuals. User engagement can be measured and recorded using automatically captured indicators (e.g., pageviews, proportion of content/modules completed, or number of logins). However, the large variety in measurable indicators across different DMHIs [ 16 , 21 ] further compounds challenges to understanding pathways to sustained behaviour changes.

For RCTS, the latest estimand framework in the ICH E9 R1 addendum [ 22 ] provides guidance on defining different estimands, which enables trialists to ensure the most important research questions of interest are evaluated. This includes guidance on handling post-randomisation events, such as user engagement with the DMHI, in efficacy analysis. For example, policy makers are likely to be most interested in a treatment policy estimand which provides an assessment of the benefit received on average under the new policy of prescribing the DMHI regardless of how it’s engaged with. For DMHIs typically engagement is poor, which means treatment policy estimands may underestimate the true intervention efficacy for those who engaged [ 23 ], so alternative estimands that address this may also be of interest to target. For example, the benefit received on average for individuals who would actively engage with the DMHI (a principal stratification estimand). However, to utilise available methods post-randomisation variables need to be clearly defined, but this is difficult for engagement with DMHIs because it is multifaceted with many different engagement indicators available to use.

This systematic review aimed to assess the current landscape of how RCTs for DMHIs are reported and analysed. The review primarily assessed how user engagement is described, what engagement indicators are reported and how, if at all, researchers assessed the impact of user engagement on efficacy. As the number of DMHIs evaluated in RCTs is ever increasing, this review is essential to identify current practice in trial reporting to inform further research to improve the quality of future trials. The specific research aims of interest were to: (1) examine trial design and characteristics of DMHIs; (2) summarise how user engagement had been defined and measured in RCTs of DMHIs; and (3) assess how often intervention efficacy was adjusted for user engagement and the impact of user engagement on efficacy estimates.

The protocol for this systematic review was prospectively published in Prospero [ 24 ], and PRISMA guidance was followed in reporting of this review.

Study selection

We included RCTs examining the efficacy of DMHIs, excluding pilot and feasibility studies [ 25 ]. Search terms for RCT designs followed guidance from Glanville et al. [ 26 ]. We included trials of participants with common mental disorders (CMD) defined by Cochrane [ 27 ] excluding populations with non-CMD comorbidities, such as patients with depression and comorbid diabetes. Populations with multiple CMDs were not excluded as there were many transdiagnostic interventions targeting overlapping symptoms of different conditions. Both trials requiring a confirmed clinical diagnosis and trials where participants self-referred were included. For consistency in DMHIs included interventions must meet any criteria from items 1.1 (targeted communication on health information), 1.3 (client to client communication, e.g., peer forums), 1.4 (health tracking or self-monitoring) or 1.6 (access to own health information) from the WHO Classification of Digital Health Interventions [ 28 ]. DMHIs must have been delivered on a mobile app or through a web-browser and where the intervention was self-guided by participants, defined as an intervention where participants have full autonomy over how this is used. Search terms for interventions followed guidance from Ayiku et al. [ 29 ]. All publications must have been reported in English.

The search was performed on the 17th September 2021 and included trials published between 1st January 2016 to 17th September 2021. Search terms were adapted for each database: MEDLINE, Embase, PsycINFO and Cochrane CENTRAL (see supplemental table S1 for search strategy). Title and abstracts were independently screened by two reviewers (JE, RB, SO, LB, LM & VH), and again at the full text review stage. Covidence [ 30 ] was used to manage all stages, remove duplicates and resolve disagreements.

As a methodology review to examine how user engagement was described and analysed a risk of bias tool to assess trial quality was not undertaken [ 31 ]. However, key CONSORT items [ 32 ] were extracted to determine adherence to reporting guidance, including reporting of a protocol or trial registration (item 23/24), planned sample size (item 7a) and amendments to the primary analysis (item 3b). For all items self-reported data from articles was extracted.

Data extraction

A data extraction form was developed by the lead author (JE) and reviewed by VC, SC and JS. Summary data extracted covered: trial characteristics (e.g., design and sample size); intervention and comparator descriptions (e.g., delivery method or primary function); participant demographics (e.g., age or gender); reporting of user engagement (e.g., indicators reported); and point estimates, confidence intervals and P-values of analysis results unadjusted and adjusted for user engagement. In trials with multiple arms the first active arm mentioned was included. No restriction was applied to the control arm in the trial. The full extraction sheet, including CONSORT items, is in the table S2 of the supplementary material.

The analysis was predominantly descriptive and used mean and standard deviations, or medians and interquartile ranges (IQRs) to describe continuous variables. Frequencies and percentages summarized categorical variables. User engagement captured through engagement indicators (e.g., pageviews and total logins) and methods to encourage user engagement (e.g., automatic notifications) were summarised descriptively. Indicator data was summarised in four categories: duration of use (e.g., length of session), frequency of use (e.g., number of logins), milestone achieved (e.g., modules completed) and communication (e.g., messages to therapist). Descriptive summaries also assessed both the recommended user engagement definitions, the pre-specified minimum engagement level investigators told participants to use DMHIs, and active user definitions, the pre-specified engagement level of most interest to investigators for intervention effects accounting for user engagement. Both were summarised by indicators used in definitions.

To determine the impact of user engagement on intervention efficacy, restricted maximum likelihood random effects meta-analyses were conducted for articles that reported both intervention effect when user engagement was accounted for and when it wasn’t. Standardised effects were used due to outcomes and measures varying between articles. These were taken directly, where reported, otherwise calculated using guidance from Cochrane [ 33 ], and Cohen’s d formula for the standard deviation [ 34 ]. Articles were grouped by outcome domains (e.g., depression, anxiety or eating disorders) based on the reported primary clinical outcome used to evaluate efficacy. Analyses also group articles based on the analytical approach used for adjustment, those using statistical methods that retained all participants formed one group (recommend approaches) and those using statistical methods only retaining conventional per-protocol populations, i.e., exclude the data from those who did not comply, formed the other group (per-protocol approaches). All analysis was performed using Stata 17.

From a total of 6,042 articles identified, 184 were eligible and included in this review (see Fig. 1 ) randomising 43,529 participants. The most evaluated outcome domain was Depression, 74 (40.2%) articles, followed by Anxiety, 29 (15.8%) articles, and PTSD, 12 (6.5%) articles, see supplementary table S3 for full list. At least 123 unique interventions were assessed, however some interventions ( n = 39) were only described in general terms, such as internet delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for depression, so could not be distinguished as separate interventions and are excluded from the count. On average 30.7 (SD 7.7) articles were published each year, a more detailed breakdown by outcome domain is in supplementary figures s1 and s2 .

PRISMA flowchart for studies included in the systematic review

Extracted CONSORT items assessed trial reporting quality, 51 articles (27.7%) did not report their planned sample size and 36 articles (19.7%) did not clearly reference a trial protocol or trial registration number. For the 133 articles that reported both the planned and actual sample size, 43 (32.3%) failed to recruit to their target. The planned analysis approach was reportedly changed in 3 (1.6%) articles, one due to changes in the intervention [ 35 ] and the others due to high attrition [ 36 , 37 ].

Most articles used “traditional” trial designs with 170 (92.4%) opting for a parallel arm design and the majority assessed only one new intervention ( n = 134, 78.8%). Four articles (2.2%) used a factorial design allowing for the simultaneous evaluation of multiple treatments providing statistical efficiency by reducing the number of participants required in the trial. Two articles (1.1%) in the Body Dysmorphic Disorder outcome domain reported using a crossover design. However, the first had no wash-out period and instead those in the intervention arm were asked to stop engaging with the app after 16 days [ 38 ]. The second actually used a parallel arm design, where the control group received the intervention after 3 weeks [ 39 ]. Median delivery period for DMHIs was 56 days (IQR 42–84) post-randomisation and the median total follow-up time for primary outcome collection was 183 days post-randomisation (IQR 84–365).

Participants average age was 34.1 years (SD 11.1), and most participants were female (70.7%), see Table 1 . Ethnicity data was not extractable in 133 (72.3%) articles. Most trials required a confirmed diagnosis of a CMD, such as through a structured interview, for inclusion ( n = 110, 59.8%). Symptom severity could not be extracted in 97 (52.7%) trials, but where available the most common (49 trials, 56.3%) severity was a combination of both mild and moderate. Only 12 (6.5%) articles assessed participants with severe symptomatology in the depression domain ( n = 7, 58.3%), anxiety ( n = 1, 8.3%), psychological distress ( n = 1, 8.3%), general fatigue ( n = 1, 8.3%), post-traumatic stress disorder ( n = 1, 8.3%), or psychosis ( n = 1, 8.3%).

Most interventions were delivered through a website, 145 (78.8%), see Table 2 . There were 76 (41.3%) trials that adapted interventions from existing in-person therapist led interventions, and 84 (45.7%) interventions were newly developed. App delivered interventions were more likely to be newly developed, 23 (71.9%), compared to website interventions, 57 (39.3%). Most common choice of control arm was usual care, 126 (68.5%). For articles with usual care as control, most opted to use wait-lists, 94 (74.6%), where intervention access was provided either immediately after the intervention period, 62/94 (66.0%), or after the total follow-up period, 32/94 (34.0%).

Most articles, 136 (73.9%), reported using at least one approach to encourage participants to engage with the intervention. Methods of encouragement were automatic notifications, n = 49/136 (32.5%), contacting participants by telephone or email, n = 68/136 (45.0%), or automated feedback on homework exercises, n = 76/136 (50.3%). Most used only one method of encouragement, n = 85 (62.5%), with 6 (4.4%) articles using all 3 methods of encouragement. Although many articles encouraged engagement, only 23.9% ( n = 44) provided a recommended level of engagement to participants. Recommendations varied from using a rate to progress through content (e.g., one module per week or maximum of two modules per week), a specified duration to use the intervention (e.g., 1.5 h per week or 4 to 6 h per week), or specifying milestones to complete (e.g., complete one lesson every 1–2 weeks or complete daily homework assignments), a full list is in table s5 of the supplementary material.

User engagement data captured through indicators was reported in many articles, 76.1% ( n = 140), Fig. 2 . Typically, this included only reporting only one indicator ( n = 41, 29.3%) ranging up to eight indicators for one (0.7%) trial [ 40 ]. Across the 140 studies reporting user engagement data, most commonly indicators described the frequency of use, 150 (40.7%), followed by indicators to capture milestones achieved, 124 (33.6%), further detail is found in table s4 of the supplemental. A total of 150 unique indicators were reported across the 140 articles, the most popular measure used was modules completed, 51.3% ( n = 77), followed by the number of logins, 25.3% ( n = 38). In website only delivered interventions there were 102 unique indicators compared to 41 unique indicators reported in app-based interventions, and 7 unique indicators in interventions delivered as both an app and website.

Proportion of trials describing user engagement in methods section ( A ) or in results section ( B )

A) – How user engagement was reported in the methods section

Recommended – the participant was told how to use the intervention by the study team

Encouraged – reminders (e.g., notifications or emails) were sent to the participant

Active User – participants meeting a pre-specified engagement level set by the study team

B) – How user engagement data was reported in the results section

Reported – results describe activity for at least one engagement indicator

Analysis – results report an intervention effect where user engagement has been considered

Active user definitions, the engagement level of most interest to trial teams, was stated in the methods sections for 20.1% ( n = 37) of articles. Digital components of active user definitions included setting a minimum number of modules completed (e.g., 4 out of 5 modules), a proportion of content accessed (e.g., at least 25% of pages viewed), or the total time accessed (e.g., used app for 30 min per week), a full list of active user definitions is in table s6 of the supplemental. From the 37 articles reporting active user definitions, 27 (14.7%) described statistical methods to perform an analysis accounting for user engagement but only 19 (10.3%) reported intervention effect estimates.

All articles reporting effects from the analysis accounting for user engagement also reported effects not accounting for engagement so were included a meta-analysis, Table 3 . All articles used a treatment policy estimand (including all participants randomised regardless of the level of user engagement) for their primary outcome, where user engagement was not accounted for. In articles reporting an analysis accounting for user engagement, all outcome domains reported an increase in overall effect size favouring the intervention in comparison to estimates from analysis not accounting for user engagement. The largest increase in intervention efficacy was in the distress domain ( n = 1) where the standardised mean effect size increased from − 0.61 (95% CI -0.86 to -0.36) to -0.88 (95% CI -1.17 to -0.59).

The results comparing changes in the intervention effect by the analysis approach used (recommended versus per-protocol) is in Table 4 . From the 19 articles included in the analysis, 17 (89.5%) used a conventional per-protocol (i.e., exclude the data from those who did not comply) approach for the analysis accounting for user engagement [ 41 ]. A consequence of which is that the average sample size decreased to 76.9% (IQR 67.7–87.6%) of the original size, in the active arm the average size decreased by 61.8% (IQR 38.1–75.4%). The overall standardised intervention effect increased from − 0.14 (95% CI -0.24 to -0.03, n = 17), p = .01, to -0.18 (95% CI -0.32 to -0.04, n = 17), p = .01, but was also less precise. Two trials used a Complier Average Causal Effect (CACE) analysis [ 42 ], a recommended approach where assumptions hold, with all participants randomised included in the analysis. The overall standardised intervention effect increased in the meta-analysis with an overall change from − 0.16 (95% CI -0.38 to 0.06, n = 2), p = .16, to -0.19 (95%CI -0.42 to 0.03, n = 2), p = .09, with no decrease in sample size and slightly less impact on the precision of the estimate.

This systematic review found that in trials of DMHIs for CMDs, promisingly many articles reported user engagement as summaries of automatically captured indicators, but the reported intervention effect rarely accounted for this. Overall, trials were not well reported, almost 30% did not reference a trial protocol and only 27% of articles had available data on ethnicity. The JLA patient priority group set user engagement as a research priority in 2018 and this review, including publications between 2016 and 2021, supports evidence that engagement data has been poorly utilised where only 10% ( n = 19) of articles had available estimates to evaluate the impact of user engagement on intervention efficacy. Many (> 70%) articles reported summarised engagement data highlighting plenty of opportunities to better utilise this data and understand the relationship between user engagement and efficacy, a question of particular interest to the individual using DMHIs to know the true intervention efficacy.

Many articles reported at least one method used to encourage participants to engage with the intervention, however very few articles were able to specify what the recommended level of engagement should be for individuals. Additionally, only a small proportion of trials assessed the impact of user engagement on the intervention efficacy through active user definitions, but these were broad ranging and used a variety of different engagement indicators. This highlights the complex and challenging task to properly assess user engagement where currently there is little guidance available. This also shows how difficult it is for researchers to identify what the minimum required engagement to the intervention, active user definitions, should be due to the heterogeneity in both the individuals being treated and how the intervention is being delivered (e.g., timeliness and access to other support).

Most articles performing an analysis that accounted for engagement used a conventional per-protocol population. Although the per-protocol population can be unbiased under the strong assumption that user engagement is independent from treatment allocation [ 43 ], typically use of this population causes bias in the estimated intervention effect [ 44 ] and the underlying estimand cannot be determined, i.e. unclear precisely what is being estimated. User engagement is a post-randomisation variable and the estimand framework [ 22 ] suggests using more appropriate strategies for handling post-randomisation events. For example, conducting a complier average causal effect analysis [ 42 ] under the principal stratification strategy estimated using instrumental variable regression [ 45 ] with randomised treatment allocation used as the instrumental variable. Alternative statistical methods can also be used to implement the estimand framework [ 46 ], but due to large variation in the reported engagement indicators and therefore difficulties in how engagement as a post-randomisation variable should be defined comparisons between trials remain challenging.

Establishing better methods in how user groups are defined, based on all available engagement measures, for example by using clustering algorithms combining all engagement measures, are needed. Secondly, once groups are defined existing statistical methods available to implement the estimand framework need to be assessed to determine the optimal approach to analyse the impact of engagement on the efficacy analysis. This is now the focus of our future work.

Future implications

The JLA priority setting partnership occurred in 2018, meaning this review of publications between 2016 and 2021, includes very few trials recruiting after 2018. Therefore, implementation of the JLA priorities cannot be assessed. However, this review has shown user engagement data was available, showing potential for more trials to explore engagement in efficacy analysis. An update of this systematic review should be performed for the next 5 years (2021–2026) to assess whether issues identified in this review around user engagement have been improved. More trials exploring engagement in efficacy analysis will mean the pathway of sustained behaviour changes through engagement with DMHIs is better understood. Additionally, reporting of user engagement varied greatly, and although the CONSORT extension of e-health [ 47 ] outlines some detail on engagement reporting, more directed guidance is needed. Improvements should include reporting what and how many indicators were available and better guidance on how indicator data should be summarised. Additionally, trial publications varied greatly in quality of reported results and particularly for key demographic information such as ethnicity. CONSORT trial reporting guidance has been around since 1996 and more journals should enforce its implemented to ensure robust reporting of trials.

Finally, where data was available, participants were mostly female, white ethnicity and young, demographics consistent with another systematic review of DMHI trials [ 48 ] and the most recent 2014 Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey (APMS) for who is most likely to receive treatment [ 49 ]. However, the APMS 2014 also shows that individuals from black or mixed ethnicities are more likely to experience a CMD than those from white ethnicities. This supports other literature [ 50 , 51 ] and highlights differences in those recruited into trials and those who experience a CMD and not represented in DMHI efficacy estimates.

Strengths and limitations of the review

This systematic review assessed a wide-ranging number of outcome domains, providing an overview for all current DMHIs evaluated, including articles from CMDs with lots of active research, such as anxiety and depression, to CMDs with very few published results. Additionally, this review collected detailed information on engagement indicators, how these were reported, and how they were utilised in the analysis of the intervention effect, providing a rich database of the typical indicators available across a wide range of DMHIs.

As the focus of this review was to assess user engagement the review does not analyse the temporal differences of when primary outcome data for the intervention effect were collected. This means the review ignores that differences of the intervention effects across articles could partly be due to temporal differences in when they were collected, assuming the intervention effect changes over time. However, comparisons of adjusted and unadjusted intervention effects are measured at the same timepoints within each article. Additionally, as very few studies reported analysis adjusted for user engagement there was limited data to assess the impact of user engagement on the intervention efficacy in most outcome domains. Further, as most studies assessing engagement used a similar approach, per-protocol population, a formal comparison of methods was not possible. Finally, as this review only focused on appraising how engagement was reported and statistical methods used to analyse engagement, we don’t consider the impact of loss to follow-up has on the efficacy of interventions but must acknowledge that DMHIs typically have high drop-out rates from studies with very low proportions of individuals completing the intervention [ 52 ].

This review assessed reporting of user engagement and how authors considered engagement in the efficacy analysis of digital mental health interventions. While many articles reported at least one measure of engagement, very few articles used the data to analyse how engagement affects intervention efficacy, making it difficult to draw conclusions on the impact of engagement. In the small proportion of articles that reported this analysis, nearly all used statistical methods at high risk of bias. There is a clear need to improve the methods used to define active users by using all available engagement measures. This will help ensure a more consistent approach to how user engagement as a post-randomisation variable is defined. Once these methods are established trialists can then utilise existing statistical methods to target alternative estimands, such as principal stratification, that mean the impact of user engagement with the intervention efficacy can be explored.

Data availability

The study protocol is already available on Prospero (CRD42021249503), datasets used are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request after the NIHR fellowship from which this project comes from is completed (April 2025). Any researchers interested in using the data extracted can contact the lead author using the shared correspondence information.

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Acknowledgements

This work was funded by the NIHR Doctoral Fellowship (NIHR301810). The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. The funder had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis, data interpretation, or writing of the report. The TMRP Health Informatics working group, which the lead author is a member of, was essential in finding members (SOC, LY, LB) to join this project and support the work.

This work was funded by the NIHR Doctoral Fellowship (NIHR301810).

Author information

Jacqueline Sin and Victoria Cornelius contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

Imperial Clinical Trials Unit, Imperial College London, White City Campus, Stadium House, 68 Wood Lane, London, W12 7RH, UK

Jack Elkes, Suzie Cro & Victoria Cornelius

University of Oxford, Oxford, UK

Rachel Batchelor, Ly-Mee Yu & Victoria Harris

Florence Nightingale Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Palliative Care, King’s College London, London, UK

Siobhan O’Connor

Leeds Institute of Clinical Trials Research, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

Lauren Bell

City St Geroge’s, University of London, London, UK

Jacqueline Sin

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Contributions

Conceptualization, JE, VC, SC and JS.; Methodology, JE, VC, SC and JS.; Software, JE.; Validation, JE, VC, SC, JS, SO, LB, RB, LY, and VH.; Formal Analysis, JE.; Investigation, JE, VC, SC, JS, SO, LB, RB, LY, and VH.; Resources, JE, VC, SC, and JS.; Data Curation, JE.; Writing – Original Draft, JE, VC, SC, and JS.; Writing – Reviewing & Editing, JE, VC, SC, JS, SO, LB, RB, LY, and VH.; Visualisation, JE, VC, SC, and JS.; Supervision, VC, SC, and JS.; Project Administration, JE, VC, and SC.; Funding Acquisition, JE, VC, SC, and JS.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jack Elkes .

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval and consent to participate.

Not applicable as all data was publicly available.

Consent for publication

Not applicable as no participants were recruited for this research.

Competing interests

JE was recently a collaborator on a NIHR HTA grant (NIHR132896) for long term effectiveness of a video feedback intervention for parents. JE is also on the trial steering committee for a trial (NIHR302349) that is part of an NIHR Doctoral Fellowship called Restore-B. JE is also on the programme steering committee (NIHR204413) for a trial called ATTEND. SC was previously awarded funding for an NIHR advanced fellowship (NIHR300593) between Stepember 2020 and December 2023. VC was also involved in the NIHR HTA (NIHR132896) funded trial of long-term follow-up of the video feedback intervention for parents. VC is also on the trial steering committee for a problem solving intervention for adults with dementia and depression, a steering committee member for a trial called ADVANCE and the chair of a NIHR HTA funded data monitoring committee (NIHR132808) called BAY. No other competing interests are reported for all other authors (RB, SOC, LMY, LB, VH and JS).

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Elkes, J., Cro, S., Batchelor, R. et al. User engagement in clinical trials of digital mental health interventions: a systematic review. BMC Med Res Methodol 24 , 184 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12874-024-02308-0

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Teen mental health improving, CDC reports. But the kids are far from all right.

Young people are faring better in their mental health in the past few years after a period of increased sadness and hopelessness during the COVID-19 pandemic, a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found.

The data released last week showed a 2% decrease from 2021 to 2023 in high school students reporting they felt sad or hopeless. The total dropped from 42% to 40% of students who reported having these feelings, marking the first time the annual Youth Risk Behavior Survey didn’t report an increase in over a decade.

But mental and behavioral health experts aren’t celebrating a victory just yet. This is because reported rates of kids feeling sad or hopeless remain high, especially teenage girls who showed a decrease, from 57% to 53% cases, over those two years.

“We’ve made some progress tackling these issues in recent years, which proves that they are not insurmountable,” said Kathleen Ethier, director of the CDC’s adolescent and school health division. “However, there’s still much work ahead.”

What’s getting better

The new report also found small but meaningful improvements among students in marginalized groups.

Four percent fewer Hispanic teens over those two years felt persistently sad or hopeless, experienced poor mental health and seriously considered attempting suicide, and 3% fewer made a suicide plan.

Black teens also saw a 4% decrease in students who reported they'd attempted suicide and a 2% decrease in people injured in a suicide attempt.

Ariana Hoet, a pediatric psychologist and executive clinical director of The Kids Mental Health Foundation, said increased awareness, government funding and school programs can partially explain why youth mental health has improved over the past few years.

“The pandemic opened our eyes (to the fact) that children’s mental health was a concern,” she said. “People are looking for resources and accessing resources more frequently.”

There has also been a concerted effort to highlight the causes of despair in young adults.

Last year, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy issued a health advisory that highlighted the impact of social media on young people's mental health. The White House also awarded hundreds of millions of dollars to mental and behavioral health care programs in schools and at-risk communities.

Dr. Elizabeth Ortiz-Schwartz, a child psychiatrist at Silver Hill Hospital in Connecticut, said the return to in-class learning and extracurricular activities may have also helped improve students' mental health.

“There’s more opportunities to integrate (and) socialize with peers,” she said. “The normalization of activities was probably very helpful.”

What’s getting worse

Returning to classrooms also meant going back to stressors like academic pressure, bullying and in-school violence, Ortiz-Schwartz said.

The CDC report found increases in students being threatened or injured with a weapon at school, being bullied at school or missing school due to safety concerns at school or en route to school.

The percentage of female students who missed school increased from 10% to 16% in those two years, and nearly 20% of females experienced sexual violence in 2023, according to the survey. Almost 30% of LGBTQ+ students said they were bullied and 20% missed school due to safety concerns.

The rise in violence may be a natural consequence of returning to in-person classes where there are more opportunities for physical encounters, experts said. But they said there may be more at play.

Ortiz-Schwartz has noticed that some of her patients after quarantine seemed developmentally stunted, exhibiting social-emotional behaviors she normally sees in younger kids.

The increase in violence and bullying in the data may also be a product of social media normalizing aggressive language and behaviors, leading to less self-censoring and more bullying when kids are together in person.

Another area that adults should note, said Hoet, from The Kids Mental Health Foundation, is how the behavior manifests itself so they can teach teens to cope.

“Children tend to show depression with irritability,” Hoet said. “We have to teach emotional regulation… being angry is okay, being angry is normal but we have to find a way to cope with that anger.”

Parents protecting mental health

Not all students were hard hit by COVID-19.

A report published by the Springtide Research Institute in July found that 13-year-olds had positive outcomes during the pandemic. Out of the 1,000 kids surveyed, nearly 50% said the COVID-19 pandemic had a positive impact on their family relationships.

While the results appear hopeful, researchers noted that the survey answers heavily varied based on a teen's household income. Among kids with an above-average household income, 64% said the pandemic had a positive impact on family relationships. However, only 34% of kids with a below-average household income experienced a positive impact on their family relations.

“Some kids probably loved (staying at home) and really thrived and then some kids didn’t and it’s because each environment is different,” Hoet said.

The report emphasizes that students have unique needs, said Dr. Laura Erickson-Schroth, chief medical officer at The Jed Foundation, a nonprofit focused on emotional health and suicide prevention for teens and young adults.

“We really need to pay attention to the reasons why young people are in the situations (and) the reasons why young people are having trouble seeking out help when they need it,” she said.

Educators should continue to improve on programs and curriculum at school, however, the best protector of mental health is child-adult relationships and that starts at home with parents and guardians, Hoet said.

The CDC also says increasing health education, connecting young people to health services and making school environments safer and more supportive are key to improving mental health.

“This work is far from complete,” said Dr. Debra Houry, CDC’s chief medical officer and deputy director for program and science “Every child should feel safe and supported, and CDC will continue its work to turn this data into action until we reach that goal.”

Adrianna Rodriguez can be reached at [email protected].

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What is burnout?

Signs and symptoms of burnout, the difference between stress and burnout, burnout vs. depression, stages of burnout, causes of burnout, how to deal with burnout, tip 1: turn to other people, tip 2: reframe the way you look at work, tip 3: reevaluate your priorities, tip 4: make exercise a priority, tip 5: support your mood and energy levels with a healthy diet, burnout symptoms, treatment, and tips on how to deal.

If constant stress has you feeling helpless, disillusioned, and completely exhausted, you may be on the road to burnout. Learn what you can do to regain your balance and feel positive and hopeful again.

Burnout is a state of emotional, physical, and mental exhaustion caused by excessive and prolonged stress . It occurs when you feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, and unable to meet constant demands. As the stress continues, you begin to lose the interest and motivation that led you to take on a certain role in the first place.

Burnout reduces productivity and saps your energy, leaving you feeling increasingly helpless, hopeless, cynical, and resentful. Eventually, you may feel like you have nothing more to give.

The negative effects of burnout spill over into every area of life—including your home, work, and social life. Burnout can also cause long-term changes to your body that make you vulnerable to illnesses like colds and flu. Because of its many consequences, it’s important to deal with burnout right away.

Are you on the road to burnout?

You may be on the road to burnout if:

Every day is a bad day.
Caring about your work or home life seems like a total waste of energy.
You’re exhausted all the time.
The majority of your day is spent on tasks you find either mind-numbingly dull or overwhelming.
You feel like nothing you do makes a difference or is appreciated.

Most of us have days when we feel helpless, overloaded, or unappreciated—when dragging ourselves out of bed requires the determination of Hercules. If you feel like this most of the time, however, you may be burned out.

Burnout is a gradual process. It doesn’t happen overnight, but it can creep up on you. The signs and symptoms are subtle at first, but become worse as time goes on. Think of the early symptoms as red flags that something is wrong that needs to be addressed. If you pay attention and actively reduce your stress , you can prevent a major breakdown. If you ignore them, you’ll eventually burn out.

Physical signs and symptoms of burnout

Feeling tired and drained most of the time.
Lowered immunity, frequent illnesses.
Frequent headaches or muscle pain.
Change in appetite or sleep habits.

Emotional signs and symptoms of burnout

Sense of failure and self-doubt.
Feeling helpless, trapped, and defeated.
Detachment, feeling alone in the world.
Loss of motivation. Increasingly cynical and negative outlook.
Decreased satisfaction and sense of accomplishment.

Behavioral signs and symptoms of burnout

Withdrawing from responsibilities.
Isolating from others.
Procrastinating, taking longer to get things done.
Using food, drugs, or alcohol to cope .
Taking frustrations out on others.
Skipping work or coming in late and leaving early.

Burnout may be the result of unrelenting stress, but it isn’t the same as too much stress. Stress, by and large, involves too much: too many pressures that demand too much of you physically and mentally. However, stressed people can still imagine that if they can just get everything under control, they’ll feel better.

Burnout, on the other hand, is about not enough. Being burned out means feeling empty and mentally exhausted, devoid of motivation, and beyond caring. People experiencing burnout often don’t see any hope of positive change in their situations. If excessive stress feels like you’re drowning in responsibilities, burnout is a sense of being all dried up. And while you’re usually aware of being under a lot of stress, you don’t always notice burnout when it happens.

Burnout and depression can also be difficult to tell apart, and some of the symptoms can overlap. For example, whether you’re depressed or burned out, you might feel exhausted or have a hard time focusing. Burnout can also be a risk factor for depression . However, the two conditions have important differences.

Burnout	Depression
Not diagnosed as a medical condition.	Medically diagnosed condition.
Caused by external stressors, such as work, parenting, or caregiving tasks.	Caused by a combination of genetic, psychological, and environmental factors.
May not have energy for hobbies or interests.	May no longer find enjoyment in hobbies or interests.
Negative feelings may primarily relate to work, school, parenting, caregiving, or other specific source of stress.	Negative feelings may relate to every area of life.
Recovery involves managing stressors, such as taking a vacation from work or delegating caregiving tasks.	may involve medication, therapy, and lifestyle changes.

Researchers have used several models to chart the development of burnout symptoms. For example, one model follows 12 stages, starting with a desire to prove oneself in a specific task and then advancing to unhealthier behaviors, such as neglecting self-care. Eventually, this leads toward the later stages, including feelings of emptiness and depression.

Another model simplifies burnout progression to five stages:

5 stages of burnout

Stage 1 (Honeymoon Phase): You feel committed to an endeavor, whether you’ve just gotten a new job, a promotion, enrolled in a class, or started parenting or caregiving. You’re ready to accept new responsibilities and eager to prove yourself. You may feel creative, productive, and energized.

Stage 2 (Stress Onset): As the stress of your new responsibilities begins to take its toll, you start to neglect your self-care needs. Your sleep quality diminishes. Anxiety shows up more often, along with irritability, headaches, and fatigue. You become less productive, have a harder time focusing, and try to avoid making decisions.

Stage 3 (Chronic Stress): You’re consistently tired and feel cynical or apathetic. Social issues can also crop up. You may withdraw from coworkers or feel resentful toward your loved ones. You might frequently procrastinate or use drugs or alcohol to self-medicate , even as you deny the problem.

Stage 4 (Burnout): At this point, you feel pessimistic about the future and obsessed with any problems that crop up. You’re neglecting your personal health, and that comes with physical problems like gastrointestinal issues and chronic headaches. You’re plagued by self-doubt and look to socially isolate yourself.

Stage 5 (Habitual Burnout): Your sense of well-being reaches a low. You’re always sad and mentally and physically fatigued. Depression may develop here.

Burnout often stems from your job. But anyone who feels overworked and undervalued is at risk for burnout, from the hardworking office worker who hasn’t had a vacation in years, to the frazzled stay-at-home mom tending to kids, housework, and an aging parent .

But burnout is not caused solely by stressful work or too many responsibilities. Other factors contribute to burnout, including your lifestyle and personality traits. In fact, what you do in your downtime and how you look at the world can play just as big of a role in causing overwhelming stress as work or home demands.

Work-related causes of burnout

Feeling like you have little or no control over your work.
Lack of recognition or reward for good work.
Unclear or overly demanding job expectations.
Doing work that’s monotonous or unchallenging.
Working in a chaotic or high-pressure environment.

Lifestyle causes of burnout

Working too much, without enough time for socializing or relaxing.
Lack of close, supportive relationships.
Taking on too many responsibilities, without enough help from others.
Not getting enough sleep.

Personality traits can contribute to burnout

Perfectionistic tendencies; nothing is ever good enough.
Pessimistic view of yourself and the world.
The need to be in control; reluctance to delegate to others.
High-achieving, Type A personality.

Whether you recognize the warning signs of impending burnout or you’re already past the breaking point, trying to push through the exhaustion and continuing as you have been will only cause further emotional and physical damage. Now is the time to pause and change direction by learning how you can help yourself overcome burnout and feel healthy and positive again.

Dealing with burnout requires the “Three R” approach:

Recognize. Watch for the warning signs of burnout.

Reverse. Undo the damage by seeking support and managing stress.

Resilience. Build your resilience to stress by taking care of your physical and emotional health.

The following tips for preventing or dealing with burnout can help you cope with symptoms and regain your energy, focus, and sense of well-being.

When you’re burned out, problems seem insurmountable, everything looks bleak, and it’s difficult to muster up the energy to care, let alone take action to help yourself. But you have a lot more control over stress than you may think. There are positive steps you can take to deal with overwhelming stress and get your life back into balance. One of the most effective is to reach out to others.

Social contact is nature’s antidote to stress and talking face to face with a good listener is one of the fastest ways to calm your nervous system and relieve stress. The person you talk to doesn’t have to be able to “fix” your stressors; they just have to be a good listener, someone who’ll listen attentively without becoming distracted or expressing judgment.

[Read: Social Support for Stress Relief]

Reach out to those closest to you, such as your partner, family, and friends. Opening up won’t make you a burden to others. In fact, most friends and loved ones will be flattered that you trust them enough to confide in them, and it will only strengthen your friendship. Try not to think about what’s burning you out and make the time you spend with loved ones positive and enjoyable.

Be more sociable with your coworkers. Developing friendships with people you work with can help buffer you from stress at work . When you take a break, for example, instead of directing your attention to your smartphone, try engaging your colleagues. Or schedule social events together after work.

Limit your contact with negative people. Hanging out with negative-minded people who do nothing but complain will only drag down your mood and outlook. If you have to work with a negative person, try to limit the amount of time you spend together.

Connect with a cause or a community group that is personally meaningful to you. Joining a religious, social, or support group can give you a place to talk to like-minded people about how to deal with daily stress—and to make new friends. If your line of work has a professional association, you can attend meetings and interact with others coping with the same workplace demands. You can also find virtual support groups through some online therapy platforms .

Find new friends. If you don’t feel that you have anyone to turn to, it’s never too late to build new friendships and expand your social network.

The power of giving

Being helpful to others delivers immense pleasure and can help to significantly reduce stress as well as broaden your social circle.

While it’s important not to take on too much when you’re facing overwhelming stress, helping others doesn’t have to involve a lot of time or effort. Even small things like a kind word or friendly smile can make you feel better and help lower stress both for you and the other person.

Speak to a Licensed Therapist

BetterHelp is an online therapy service that matches you to licensed, accredited therapists who can help with depression, anxiety, relationships, and more. Take the assessment and get matched with a therapist in as little as 48 hours.

Whether you have a job that leaves you rushed off your feet or one that is monotonous and unfulfilling, the most effective way to combat job burnout is to quit and find a job you love instead. Of course, for many of us changing job or career is far from being a practical solution, we’re grateful just to have work that pays the bills. Whatever your situation, though, there are still steps you can take to improve your state of mind.

Try to find some value in your work. Even in some mundane jobs, you can often focus on how your role helps others, for example, or provides a much-needed product or service. Focus on aspects of the job that you do enjoy, even if it’s just chatting with your coworkers at lunch. Changing your attitude towards your job can help you regain a sense of purpose and control.

Find balance in your life. If you hate your job, look for meaning and satisfaction elsewhere in your life: in your family, friends, hobbies, or voluntary work . Focus on the parts of your life that bring you joy.

[Read: Mental Health in the Workplace]

Make friends at work. Having strong ties in the workplace can help reduce monotony and counter the effects of burnout. Having friends to chat and joke with during the day can help relieve stress from an unfulfilling or demanding job, improve your job performance, or simply get you through a rough day.

Take time off. If burnout seems inevitable, try to take a complete break from work. Go on vacation, use up your sick days, ask for a temporary leave-of-absence, anything to remove yourself from the situation. Use the time away to recharge your batteries and pursue other methods of recovery.

Burnout is an undeniable sign that something important in your life is not working. Take time to think about your hopes, goals, and dreams. Are you neglecting something that is truly important to you? This can be an opportunity to rediscover what really makes you happy and to slow down and give yourself time to rest, reflect, and heal.

Set boundaries. Don’t overextend yourself. Learn how to say “no” to requests on your time. If you find this difficult, remind yourself that saying “no” allows you to say “yes” to the commitments you want to make.

Take a daily break from technology. Set a time each day when you completely disconnect. Put away your laptop, turn off your phone , and stop checking email or social media .

Nourish your creative side. Creativity is a powerful antidote to burnout. Try something new, start a fun project, or resume a favorite hobby. Choose activities that have nothing to do with work or whatever is causing your stress.

Set aside relaxation time. Relaxation techniques such as yoga, meditation, and deep breathing activate the body’s relaxation response, a state of restfulness that is the opposite of the stress response.

Get plenty of sleep. Feeling tired can exacerbate burnout by causing you to think irrationally. Keep your cool in stressful situations by getting a good night’s sleep .

Boost your ability to stay on task

If you’re having trouble following through with these self-help tips to prevent or overcome burnout, HelpGuide’s free Emotional Intelligence Toolkit can help.

Learn how to reduce stress in the moment.
Manage troublesome thoughts and feelings.
Motivate yourself to take the steps that can relieve stress and burnout.
Improve your relationships at work and home.
Rediscover joy and meaning that make work and life worthwhile.
Increase your overall health and happiness.

Even though it may be the last thing you feel like doing when you’re burned out, exercise is a powerful antidote to stress and burnout. It’s also something you can do right now to boost your mood.

Aim to exercise for 30 minutes or more per day or break that up into short, 10-minute bursts of activity. A 10-minute walk can improve your mood for two hours.

Rhythmic exercise, where you move both your arms and legs, is a hugely effective way to lift your mood, increase energy, sharpen focus, and relax both the mind and body. Try walking , running, weight training, swimming, martial arts, or even dancing.

To maximize stress relief, instead of continuing to focus on your thoughts, focus on your body and how it feels as you move: the sensation of your feet hitting the ground, for example, or the wind on your skin.

What you put in your body can have a huge impact on your mood and energy levels throughout the day.

Minimize sugar and refined carbs. You may crave sugary snacks or comfort foods such as pasta or French fries, but these refined carbs can quickly lead to a crash in mood and energy.

Reduce your high intake of foods that can adversely affect your mood , such as caffeine, unhealthy fats, and foods with chemical preservatives or hormones.

Eat more Omega-3 fatty acids to give your mood a boost. The best Omega-3 sources are fatty fish (salmon, herring, mackerel, anchovies, sardines), seaweed, flaxseed, and walnuts.

Avoid nicotine. Smoking when you’re feeling stressed may seem calming, but nicotine is a powerful stimulant, leading to higher, not lower, levels of anxiety.

Drink alcohol in moderation. Alcohol temporarily reduces worry, but too much can cause anxiety as it wears off.

Since it’s not a diagnosable medical condition, burnout is a term that’s widely misused. But if you recognize the symptoms of burnout, such as feeling mentally, emotionally, and physically exhausted, it’s critical you pause, reevaluate your priorities, and make changes in your life. With the right treatment and support, you can recover from burnout, regain your energy and enthusiasm, and feel more hopeful.

More Information

Prevention - Prevent burnout by building your resilience to stress and adversity. (American Psychological Association)
Trauma- and Stressor-Related Disorders. (2013). In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders . American Psychiatric Association. Link
“ICD-11 for Mortality and Morbidity Statistics.” Accessed November 16, 2021. Link
Maslach, Christina, and Michael P. Leiter. “Understanding the Burnout Experience: Recent Research and Its Implications for Psychiatry.” World Psychiatry 15, no. 2 (June 2016): 103–11. Link
Koutsimani, Panagiota, Anthony Montgomery, and Katerina Georganta. “The Relationship Between Burnout, Depression, and Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Frontiers in Psychology 10 (March 13, 2019): 284. Link
Salvagioni, Denise Albieri Jodas, Francine Nesello Melanda, Arthur Eumann Mesas, Alberto Durán González, Flávia Lopes Gabani, and Selma Maffei de Andrade. “Physical, Psychological and Occupational Consequences of Job Burnout: A Systematic Review of Prospective Studies.” PLOS ONE 12, no. 10 (October 4, 2017): e0185781. Link
Information, National Center for Biotechnology, U. S. National Library of Medicine 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda MD, and 20894 Usa. Depression: What Is Burnout? InformedHealth.Org [Internet] . Institute for Quality and Efficiency in Health Care (IQWiG), 2020. Link
Roskam, Isabelle, Marie-Emilie Raes, and Moïra Mikolajczak. “Exhausted Parents: Development and Preliminary Validation of the Parental Burnout Inventory.” Frontiers in Psychology 8 (2017): 163. Link
Heinemann, Linda V., and Torsten Heinemann. “Burnout Research: Emergence and Scientific Investigation of a Contested Diagnosis.” SAGE Open 7, no. 1 (January 1, 2017): 2158244017697154. Link
Bianchi, Renzo, Irvin Sam Schonfeld, and Eric Laurent. “Is It Time to Consider the ‘Burnout Syndrome’ A Distinct Illness?” Frontiers in Public Health 3 (June 8, 2015): 158. Link
Ahola, Kirsi, Salla Toppinen-Tanner, and Johanna Seppänen. “Interventions to Alleviate Burnout Symptoms and to Support Return to Work among Employees with Burnout: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.” Burnout Research 4 (March 1, 2017): 1–11. Link
Ruisoto, Pablo, Marina R. Ramírez, Pedro A. García, Belén Paladines-Costa, Silvia L. Vaca, and Vicente J. Clemente-Suárez. “Social Support Mediates the Effect of Burnout on Health in Health Care Professionals.” Frontiers in Psychology 11 (2021): 3867. Link
Salmon, P. “Effects of Physical Exercise on Anxiety, Depression, and Sensitivity to Stress: A Unifying Theory.” Clinical Psychology Review 21, no. 1 (February 2001): 33–61. Link
Toussaint, Loren, Quang Anh Nguyen, Claire Roettger, Kiara Dixon, Martin Offenbächer, Niko Kohls, Jameson Hirsch, and Fuschia Sirois. “Effectiveness of Progressive Muscle Relaxation, Deep Breathing, and Guided Imagery in Promoting Psychological and Physiological States of Relaxation.” Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine 2021 (July 3, 2021): e5924040. Link
De Hert, S. (2020). Burnout in Healthcare Workers: Prevalence, Impact and Preventative Strategies. Local and Regional Anesthesia , 13 , 171–183. Link
Depression: Learn More – What is burnout? – InformedHealth.org—NCBI Bookshelf . (n.d.). Retrieved May 28, 2024, from Link
Schonfeld, I. S., Bianchi, R., & Palazzi, S. (2018). What is the difference between depression and burnout? An ongoing debate. Rivista Di Psichiatria , 53 (4), 218–219. Link

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Men infected with high-risk types of hpv could struggle with fertility.

Researchers from Argentina compared semen quality between men infected with high-risk (HR-HPV) and low-risk (LR-HPV) genotypes of human papillomavirus and HPV negative men. They showed that HR-HPV positive men had higher percentages of dead sperm, a higher level of reactive oxygen species, and a lower count of white blood cells in their semen. These results suggest that HR-HPV positive men, but not LR-HPV positive men, may have lower fertility due to oxidative damage to sperm.

Cervical cancer, the fourth most common cancer type in women, causes approximately 350,000 deaths each year, mainly in middle- and low-income countries. Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is known to cause 95% of these cases. Public health authorities in 37 countries currently vaccinate girls between nine and 14 years of age, before they typically start sexual activity.

HPV is also known to increase the risk of genital warts and cancers of the penis, anus, mouth, and throat in infected men, which is one of the reasons why the WHO and the US Center for Disease Control (CDC) advise that boys, too, should be routinely vaccinated against it. However, the full suite of potential effects of HPV in men and boys is still unknown.

“Here we show that genital HPV infection is very prevalent in men, with variable effects on semen inflammation and sperm quality according to the infecting viral genotype,” said Dr Virginia Rivero, a professor at the Universidad Nacional de Córdoba in Argentina, and the senior author of a new study in Frontiers in Cellular and Infection Microbiology .

“Specifically, infections caused by high-risk HPV genotypes appear to have more negative effects on male fertility and the immune system's ability to clear the infection.”

More than 200 different HPV genotypes have been identified, typically classified in high-risk (HR-HPV) and low-risk (LR-HPV) genotypes. HR-HPV can be detected in approximately 100% of cervical cancers in women and a high percentage of anal, genital, and mouth and throat cancers in women and men. LR-HPV is typically detectable in abnormal but benign cervical cells in women and warts on the surface of the larynx and genitals in both sexes, but without causing cancer.

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Rivero and colleagues studied the effects of HPV in a cross section of the male population in Argentina: 205 adult male volunteers who attended a single urology and andrology clinic for initial fertility assessment or problems of the urinary tract between 2018 and 2021. None had been vaccinated against HPV.

Seminal study

The volunteers donated a sample of their ejaculate, and the presence or absence of HPV and other sexually transmitted infections were determined by PCR. Among the 205 individuals analyzed, 19% tested positive for HPV. Specifically, 20 men were classified as positive for HR-HPV, while 7 were identified as positive for LR-HPV. These HPV-positive individuals were compared to 43 men with no infections detected. A further 12 men were found to be HPV positive, but their genotype couldn’t be determined due to low viral loads.

Most HPV positive men were infected with only a single genotype, but three men carried two genotypes simultaneously.

First, the researchers studied the semen samples with a battery of routine analysis methods, as recommended by the WHO. Following these criteria, they found no evidence of a difference in semen quality between the three groups.

However, this apparent suggestion of normal fertility in HPV-infected men proved to be far from the full picture. When Rivero and colleagues examined the samples with more focused, high-resolution methods, they were surprised to find that HR-HPV positive men had significantly lower counts of CD45+ white blood cells (leukocytes) in their semen. They also found evidence that sperm of HR-HPV positive men may suffer frequent damage from oxidative stress, judging by their elevated production of reactive oxygen species (ROS).

While low levels of ROS are a product of normal sperm function, elevated levels can lead to rupture of the cell membrane, breaks in DNA, and uncontrolled and unprogrammed cell death. Indeed, the researchers showed that HR-HPV positive men had a higher percentage of dead sperm.

Raising important questions

“We concluded that men infected with HR-HPV, but not men infected with LR-HPV, show increased sperm death due to oxidative stress and a weakened local immune response in the urogenital tract,” said Rivero.

“These results suggests that HR-HPV positive men could have impaired fertility.”

Rivero et al. explained the observed lower count of immune cells in the semen of HR-HPV positive men from the known ability of HPV to evade an immune response. This would lead to a reduced movement of leukocytes to the site of HPV infection and their impaired ability to clear this infection.

“Our study raises important questions about how HR-HPV affects sperm DNA quality and what implications it has for reproduction and offspring health. It’s important to understand the biological mechanisms underlying these effects. And, given that sexually transmitted co-infections are quite common, we plan to explore whether bearing HPV infection alongside other STIs influence these outcomes,” said Rivero.

REPUBLISHING GUIDELINES : Open access and sharing research is part of Frontiers’ mission . Unless otherwise noted, you can republish articles posted in the Frontiers news site — as long as you include a link back to the original research. Selling the articles is not allowed.

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August 23, 2024

Michiel Dijkstra

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