Enhancing Self-Efficacy for Help-Seeking Among Transition-Aged Youth in Postsecondary Settings With Mental Health and/or Substance Use Concerns, Using Crowd-Sourced Online and Mobile Technologies: The Thought Spot Protocol.
Seventy percent of lifetime cases of mental illness emerge prior to age 24. While early detection and intervention can address approximately 70% of child and youth cases of mental health concerns, the majority of youth with mental health concerns do not receive the services they need.



The objective of this paper is to describe the protocol for optimizing and evaluating Thought Spot, a Web- and mobile-based platform cocreated with end users that is designed to improve the ability of students to access mental health and substance use services.



This project will be conducted in 2 distinct phases, which will aim to (1) optimize the existing Thought Spot electronic health/mobile health intervention through youth engagement, and (2) evaluate the impact of Thought Spot on self-efficacy for mental health help-seeking and health literacy among university and college students. Phase 1 will utilize participatory action research and participatory design research to cocreate and coproduce solutions with members of our target audience. Phase 2 will consist of a randomized controlled trial to test the hypothesis that the Thought Spot intervention will show improvements in intentions for, and self-efficacy in, help-seeking for mental health concerns.



We anticipate that enhancements will include (1) user analytics and feedback mechanisms, (2) peer mentorship and/or coaching functionality, (3) crowd-sourcing and data hygiene, and (4) integration of evidence-based consumer health and research information.



This protocol outlines the important next steps in understanding the impact of the Thought Spot platform on the behavior of postsecondary, transition-aged youth students when they seek information and services related to mental health and substance use.
University Health Network, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
David
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2748-2658
D
Wiljer
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Alexxa
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0180-679X
A
Abi-Jaoude
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Andrew
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2983-2930
A
Johnson
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Genevieve
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9642-8356
G
Ferguson
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Marcos
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9075-1761
M
Sanches
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Andrea
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4867-1992
A
Levinson
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Janine
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6704-0010
J
Robb
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Olivia
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6817-9110
O
Heffernan
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Tyson
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0714-8767
T
Herzog
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Gloria
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-1342-9757
G
Chaim
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Kristin
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-2822-2129
K
Cleverley
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Centre for Global eHealth Innovation, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Gunther
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-6479-5330
G
Eysenbach
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Joanna
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9387-5193
J
Henderson
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research (CLEAR), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Department of Public Health Sciences, University of California, Davis, CA, United States.
Jeffrey S
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4880-4281
JS
Hoch
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Elisa
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-7281-7170
E
Hollenberg
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Cancer Care Ontario, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Huan
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0898-2339
H
Jiang
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Centre for Excellence in Economic Analysis Research (CLEAR), St. Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Wanrudee
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-8368-6065
W
Isaranuwatchai
University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.|Michael Garron Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Marcus
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9746-6381
M
Law
QoC Health, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Sarah
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6310-5315
S
Sharpe
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Tim
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3967-2181
T
Tripp
Centre for Mental Health and Addiction, Toronto, ON, Canada.|University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Aristotle
http://orcid.org/0000-0003-0156-0395
A
Voineskos
crowd-sourcing; eHealth; help-seeking; mental health; mobile applications; participatory action research; substance use; transition-aged youth 