Adolescents’ online and in-person help-giving experiences towards a peer with a mental health problem: a qualitative study

Abstract

Objective: Adolescents are uniquely placed to provide support to peers experiencing mental health problems. This qualitative study aimed to gain an in-depth understanding of adolescents’ help-giving experiences and explore their different experiences of help-giving in-person and online through platforms such as social media. Method: Eighteen semi-structured interviews and two focus groups were conducted with 24 adolescents aged between 17–19 years. Participants were recruited from a separate research trial, independent of recent help-giving experience. Participants reflected on their help-giving experiences, such as exactly how they helped a peer experiencing a mental health problem. Codeboo..