Just-In-Time-Adaptive Mechanisms | To Prevent Mental Health Problems in Youth

Project category: HS4Society

Main applicant: Caroline Figueroa (TU Delft)
Team: Danielle Remmerswaal (EUR), Anouk Mols (EUR), Jason Pridmore (EUR), Aaron Ding (TU Delft), Jiwon Jung (EMC/TU Delft), Helma Torkamaan (TU Delft), Wilma Jansen (Gemeente Rotterdam), Amy van Grieken (EMC), Junwen Jang (EMC), Hein Raat (Jong JGZ)
Partners: Jong JGZ, Gemeente Rotterdam

Summary

Mental health smartphone apps are increasingly being developed to help young individuals manage their well-being and combat high rates of anxiety and depression in youth.
Many of these apps, however, have serious limitations. They suffer from low adherence and high dropout because they use a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach and few evidence-based techniques. They are plagued by privacy issues, resulting in a reluctance for young people to use them. To overcome these challenges, our project aims to develop a data-driven and privacy-preserving “Just-In-Time-Adaptive” smartphone intervention. This innovative digital tool will adapt to the rapidly changing vulnerabilities and opportunities for positive behavior in youth. By involving youth, health professionals, youth health organizations, municipalities, and academic experts, we aim to create an impactful solution that can make a real difference in the lives of young people. Our aim is to transform current digital tools for youth into evidence-based,safe, personalized strategies that empower them to improve their mental well-being.