JMIR Mental Health

Secondary use of routinely collected health care data has great potential benefits in epidemiological studies primarily due to the large scale of preexisting data.

Longitudinal investigation of the association between mobile health (mHealth) app use and attitudes toward one’s body during adolescence is scarce. mHealth apps might shape adolescents’ body image perceptions by influencing their attitudes toward their bodies. Adolescents might also use mHealth apps based on how they feel and think about their bodies.

The EVADD study (EVAluation of Digital aDdiction) investigates problematic smartphone use in the digital age, as global smartphone users reached 55.88 million in France in 2023. With increased screen time from digital devices, especially smartphones, the study highlights adult usage issues and associated risks.

Web-based cognitive behavioral therapy (wb-CBT) is a scalable way to reach distressed university students. Guided wb-CBT is typically superior to self-guided wb-CBT over short follow-up periods, but evidence is less clear over longer periods.

Emotion regulation difficulties affect many adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and previous research has highlighted a need for accessible interventions to support them in this domain, especially in real-life contexts. Digital health interventions (DHIs) can be embedded in adolescents’ daily lives and thus offer considerable promise for meeting this need. However, there is a lack of information to guide the development of suitable emotion regulation DHIs for this population. The goal of this study is, therefore, to identify recommendations to guide the development of emotion regulation DHIs for adolescents with ADHD. This narrative review synthesizes diverse relevant evidence to inform their development, including promising therapeutic approaches and components and relevant design and development considerations. We find that there is very little direct evidence of “what works” for emotion regulation DHIs and emotion regulation interventions more generally for adolescents with ADHD; however, we identify promising therapeutic approaches for new DHIs. We also recommend following a co-design or coproduction approach with adolescents with ADHD, including exploring elements designed to motivate and engage young people to support sustained adherence. We conclude that DHIs are a promising approach for emotion regulation interventions for adolescents with ADHD, could draw on a range of existing therapeutic approaches, and should be co-designed with users themselves.

Smartphones could enhance access to effective cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Users may frequently and flexibly access bite-size CBT content on personal devices, review and practice skills, and thereby achieve better outcomes.

Mood disorders are among the most common mental health conditions worldwide. Wearables and consumer-grade personal digital devices create digital traces that can be collected, processed, and analyzed, offering a unique opportunity to quantify and monitor individuals with mental disorders in their natural living environments.

Conversational artificial intelligence (CAI) is emerging as a promising digital technology for mental health care. CAI apps, such as psychotherapeutic chatbots, are available in app stores, but their use raises ethical concerns.

The early detection of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is crucial for providing treatment before further decline. Cognitive challenge tests such as the Loewenstein-Acevedo Scales for Semantic Interference and Learning (LASSI-L™) can identify individuals at highest risk for cognitive deterioration. Performance on elements of the LASSI-L, particularly proactive interference, correlate with the presence of critical Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) biomarkers. However, in person paper tests require skilled testers and are not practical in many community settings or for large-scale screening in prevention.

Digital mental health technologies (DMHTs) are becoming more widely available and are seen as having potential to improve the quality of mental health care. However, conversations around the potential impact of DMHTs can be impacted by a lack of focus on the types of technologies that are available. Several frameworks that could apply to DMHTs are available but they have not been developed with comprehensive methods and have limitations.

Internet is now integral to everyday life, and users' online search data could be of strategic importance in mental healthcare. As shown by previous studies, internet searches may provide valuable insights into individuals mental state, and can be of great value in early identification and in helping pathways to care. Internet search data can potentially provide real-time identification and alert mechanisms to timely interventions, for instance. In this viewpoint paper, we discuss the various problems related to the use of this data in research and in clinical practice such as privacy, integration with clinical information, and other technical challenges. We propose solutions to address these issues, and possible directions to follow.

Aerobic exercise (AE) training has been shown to enhance aerobic fitness in people with schizophrenia. Traditionally, such training has been administered in-person at gyms or other communal exercise spaces. However, following the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, many clinics transitioned their services to telehealth-based delivery. Yet, at present there is scarce information about the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of telehealth-based AE in this population.