4 - (SYM 85) Teen Digital Mental Health Services for Public Libraries: Teen Needs Assessment Interviews and Usability Testing

Introduction: There is incredible public health potential for developing digital mental health (MH) prevention services. Prior to implementing digital services, it is critical to understand the needs and priorities of the organizations and individuals who will implement and use these services. This is especially important when partnering with underserved and marginalized communities as those populations have not been well represented in the digital MH literature and many services have not been designed to meet their needs. In this study, the research team partnered with a community-based teen program within a public library, which is a key social service system for vulnerable populations, to design a digital MH service for teen patrons.

Methods: Individual needs assessment interviews were conducted with teens (n=16) who utilize the library’s services. Interview questions focused on learning more about how teen patrons currently experience and safely manage their anxiety, as well as about their design preferences for a digital MH service for teen anxiety. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and coded using thematic analysis approach. We are currently using interview feedback to create the initial prototype of the digital service and will be conducting usability testing with 10 teen patrons. Results: Teen patrons discussed their lived experiences of anxiety, including reporting on their related somatic, cognitive, and behavioral experiences. They also discussed the current ways in which they are managing their anxiety, including techniques related to breathing, social support, distraction, and problem solving. Teen patrons also gave advice on what features and types of engagement they would like to see in the designed digital service. Finally, they also related potential barriers to service use, including MH stigma and caregivers serving as gatekeepers of teen MH resources. Usability data of the intervention prototype will also be reported (Anticipated completion date: June 2023).

Conclusions: Partnering with end-users and deployment organizations prior to and throughout the design process is critical to ensure uptake, effectiveness, and sustainability of the designed MH services. Themes focused on the implications of designing and implementing digital MH services into community organizations serving underserved and marginalized youth will be discussed.