Digital mental health tools show positive impact on youth well-being

Children and youth face rising mental health challenges in an increasingly digital world, especially those from marginalized populations. A new landmark systematic review and meta-analysis on the effectiveness of universal digital mental health interventions led by York University researchers, finds that digital tools can positively impact young people's emotional, behavioural, social, and cognitive well-being.

The study, currently available online, which examines 57 peer-reviewed research articles and includes data from over 40,000 participants worldwide, found that hybrid models, those that combine digital delivery with some in-person engagement, emerged as the most consistently effective approach, with moderate-certainty evidence supporting sustained benefits across multiple psychological domains at follow-up.

The research was led by York University Faculty of Health Professor Rebecca Pillai Riddell, a nationally recognized expert in clinical psychology and York postdoctoral fellow Kaitlin Di Pierdomenico.

This study is the first of its kind to synthesize universal digital and hybrid interventions for child and youth mental health. It's clear that digital tools must be embraced but only if we implement them thoughtfully, equitably, and with real-world contexts in mind. We need to invest in research that includes the children most often left behind."

Rebecca Pillai Riddell, Professor, Faculty of Health, York University

The analysis revealed significant improvements across emotional, behavioural, social, and cognitive psychological domains with effects most consistent and sustainable when digital tools were embedded in supportive, structured settings like schools. Critically, the study highlights a striking underrepresentation of research of marginalized populations and younger children (ages 0-4), raising concerns about equity and inclusion in the current evidence base.

"This work looked at whether digital mental health tools help, under what conditions, and whose data we actually have," says Di Pierdomenico. "Hybrid approaches, pairing digital tools with in-person structure, held up better over time than fully virtual ones. We also found real gaps, including underreporting of participant demographics and limited inclusion of younger children and marginalized populations, that matter so universal tools are developed to actually reach all children and youth."

The York researchers worked with Strong Minds Strong Kids, Psychology Canada (SMSKPC) for the study, a national charity that promotes children's mental well-being through psychological science.

"Our history has always been about promoting mental health. This research reinforces the urgency to get promotion right – and get it to the children who need it most," says Anne Lovegrove, President and Executive Director of SMSKPC and a co-author on the study. "We undertook this study not only to inform our own work but to guide the entire sector toward what actually works in a rapidly changing digital landscape."

The project was also generously supported by philanthropy from the Jackman Foundation, a longtime champion of youth mental health and of SMSKPC and York University.

The full study, Universal Digital Mental Health Interventions for Children and Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, is available open access via npj Digital Medicine.