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Young people’s participation in their own mental health care: Session-by-session feedback in youth mental health services (headspace)
  • Debra Rickwood,
  • Sabina Albrecht,
  • Nic Telford
Debra Rickwood
University of Canberra Faculty of Health

Corresponding Author:debra.rickwood@canberra.edu.au

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Sabina Albrecht
headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd
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Nic Telford
headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation Ltd
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Abstract

Introduction. Young people’s participation in their own mental healthcare requires ways for them to provide feedback to their clinicians on how they are experiencing their treatment. Key dimensions of session experience are willingness to attend, feeling listened to and understood, working on issues important to them, feeling hopeful for the future, and feeling that things are improving in their lives. This study reports on young people’s session experiences over time and by key demographics for headspace youth mental health services. Methods. The sample comprised 16,484 young people aged 12 to 25 years who commenced an episode of care at one of the 150 headspace centres between 1 July 2021 and 30 June 2022 and who had attended at least two services. Data were collected via the routinely collected headspace minimum data set. Results. Overall, young people reported very positive session experiences over all the session dimensions. Few demographic differences were found: session ratings were more positive for young adults (18+ years) compared with adolescents (under 18 years). Scores on all five dimensions improved with more visits, and willingness to attend and working on issues important to the young person were strong predictors of service engagement. Better session experience scores were associated with more positive ratings of quality of life. Conclusion. Young people experience their headspace sessions very positively, and more positive experiences are associated with better service engagement and quality of life. Routinely collecting session feedback gives young people a valuable way to participate in and inform their own care.
Submitted to Early Intervention in Psychiatry
19 Feb 2024Submission Checks Completed
19 Feb 2024Assigned to Editor
13 Jun 2024Editorial Decision: Revise Major
03 Jul 20241st Revision Received
04 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
04 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
04 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
04 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned
16 Jul 2024Editorial Decision: Accept