A digital intervention to improve mental health and interpersonal resilience in young people who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse: a feasibility clinical trial.
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| Title: | A digital intervention to improve mental health and interpersonal resilience in young people who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse: a feasibility clinical trial. |
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| Authors: | Bucci, Sandra (AUTHOR), Varese, Filippo (AUTHOR), Quayle, Ethel (AUTHOR), Cartwright, Kim (AUTHOR), Larkin, Amanda (AUTHOR), Chan, Cindy (AUTHOR), Chitsabesan, Prathiba (AUTHOR), Green, Victoria (AUTHOR), Hewins, William (AUTHOR), Machin, Matthew (AUTHOR), Newton, Alice (AUTHOR), Niebauer, Erica (AUTHOR), Norrie, John (AUTHOR), Radford, Gillian (AUTHOR), Richards, Cathy (AUTHOR), Sandys, Marina (AUTHOR), Selby, Victoria (AUTHOR), Shafi, Sara (AUTHOR), Ward, Jennifer (AUTHOR), Whelan, Pauline (AUTHOR) |
| Source: | Child & Adolescent Mental Health. Feb2026, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p23-32. 10p. |
| Subjects: | Child sexual abuse & psychology, Mental illness treatment, Mobile apps, Mental health services, Research funding, Digital health, Evaluation of human services programs, Clinical trials, Pilot projects, Questionnaires, Treatment effectiveness, Descriptive statistics, Technology, Research, Data analysis software, Confidence intervals, Children |
| Abstract: | Background: The purpose of the present study was to conduct a feasibility trial of i‐Minds, a digital mental health intervention (DMHI) designed to improve mentalisation in young people (YP) who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse (TASA). Enhancing mentalisation may reduce the risk of re‐victimisation, strengthen resilience, and support management of TASA‐related distress. However, evidence‐based interventions for TASA are nascent. Methods: We determined the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a 6‐week mentalisation‐based DMHI for YP with TASA in a pre‐registered multicentre non‐randomised clinical trial (ISRCTN43130832). YP aged 12–18 years recruited across child and adolescent mental health services in two sites completed baseline and post‐treatment assessments. Results: Forty‐six people were recruited; 43 were allocated to the i‐Minds app; 86% completed follow‐up assessments. The average participant age was 15.42 years. Most participants identified as female (69.8%), White British (95.3%); a notable percentage identified as non‐binary/third gender or preferred not to disclose their gender identity (16.3%), and 20.9% reported their gender did not match their sex assigned at birth. We found signals of post‐treatment improvement in TASA‐related post‐traumatic symptoms, resilience, internalising symptoms, and reflective functioning. User feedback indicated that participants generally had a positive experience of using the app, positively impacting their knowledge/understanding of their own mental health and their motivation to address their mental health difficulties. There were no related adverse events. Conclusion: It is possible to recruit and retain participants for a DMHI trial of TASA. The i‐Minds app was safe, acceptable and showed promising signals of efficacy on valuable outcomes. Following further refinements, a powered efficacy trial is warranted to confirm and extend findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Child & Adolescent Mental Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection |
| FullText | Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: pbh DbLabel: Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection An: 191105562 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: A digital intervention to improve mental health and interpersonal resilience in young people who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse: a feasibility clinical trial. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Bucci%2C+Sandra%22">Bucci, Sandra</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Varese%2C+Filippo%22">Varese, Filippo</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Quayle%2C+Ethel%22">Quayle, Ethel</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Cartwright%2C+Kim%22">Cartwright, Kim</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Larkin%2C+Amanda%22">Larkin, Amanda</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chan%2C+Cindy%22">Chan, Cindy</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Chitsabesan%2C+Prathiba%22">Chitsabesan, Prathiba</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Green%2C+Victoria%22">Green, Victoria</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Hewins%2C+William%22">Hewins, William</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Machin%2C+Matthew%22">Machin, Matthew</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Newton%2C+Alice%22">Newton, Alice</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Niebauer%2C+Erica%22">Niebauer, Erica</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Norrie%2C+John%22">Norrie, John</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Radford%2C+Gillian%22">Radford, Gillian</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Richards%2C+Cathy%22">Richards, Cathy</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sandys%2C+Marina%22">Sandys, Marina</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Selby%2C+Victoria%22">Selby, Victoria</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Shafi%2C+Sara%22">Shafi, Sara</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ward%2C+Jennifer%22">Ward, Jennifer</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Whelan%2C+Pauline%22">Whelan, Pauline</searchLink> (AUTHOR) – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Child+%26+Adolescent+Mental+Health%22">Child & Adolescent Mental Health</searchLink>. Feb2026, Vol. 31 Issue 1, p23-32. 10p. – Name: Subject Label: Subjects Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Child+sexual+abuse+%26+psychology%22">Child sexual abuse & psychology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+illness+treatment%22">Mental illness treatment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mobile+apps%22">Mobile apps</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health+services%22">Mental health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research+funding%22">Research funding</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Digital+health%22">Digital health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Evaluation+of+human+services+programs%22">Evaluation of human services programs</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Clinical+trials%22">Clinical trials</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Pilot+projects%22">Pilot projects</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Questionnaires%22">Questionnaires</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Treatment+effectiveness%22">Treatment effectiveness</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Descriptive+statistics%22">Descriptive statistics</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Technology%22">Technology</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Research%22">Research</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Data+analysis+software%22">Data analysis software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Confidence+intervals%22">Confidence intervals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Children%22">Children</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: Background: The purpose of the present study was to conduct a feasibility trial of i‐Minds, a digital mental health intervention (DMHI) designed to improve mentalisation in young people (YP) who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse (TASA). Enhancing mentalisation may reduce the risk of re‐victimisation, strengthen resilience, and support management of TASA‐related distress. However, evidence‐based interventions for TASA are nascent. Methods: We determined the feasibility, acceptability, and safety of a 6‐week mentalisation‐based DMHI for YP with TASA in a pre‐registered multicentre non‐randomised clinical trial (ISRCTN43130832). YP aged 12–18 years recruited across child and adolescent mental health services in two sites completed baseline and post‐treatment assessments. Results: Forty‐six people were recruited; 43 were allocated to the i‐Minds app; 86% completed follow‐up assessments. The average participant age was 15.42 years. Most participants identified as female (69.8%), White British (95.3%); a notable percentage identified as non‐binary/third gender or preferred not to disclose their gender identity (16.3%), and 20.9% reported their gender did not match their sex assigned at birth. We found signals of post‐treatment improvement in TASA‐related post‐traumatic symptoms, resilience, internalising symptoms, and reflective functioning. User feedback indicated that participants generally had a positive experience of using the app, positively impacting their knowledge/understanding of their own mental health and their motivation to address their mental health difficulties. There were no related adverse events. Conclusion: It is possible to recruit and retain participants for a DMHI trial of TASA. The i‐Minds app was safe, acceptable and showed promising signals of efficacy on valuable outcomes. Following further refinements, a powered efficacy trial is warranted to confirm and extend findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Child & Adolescent Mental Health is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1111/camh.70060 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 10 StartPage: 23 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Child sexual abuse & psychology Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental illness treatment Type: general – SubjectFull: Mobile apps Type: general – SubjectFull: Mental health services Type: general – SubjectFull: Research funding Type: general – SubjectFull: Digital health Type: general – SubjectFull: Evaluation of human services programs Type: general – SubjectFull: Clinical trials Type: general – SubjectFull: Pilot projects Type: general – SubjectFull: Questionnaires Type: general – SubjectFull: Treatment effectiveness Type: general – SubjectFull: Descriptive statistics Type: general – SubjectFull: Technology Type: general – SubjectFull: Research Type: general – SubjectFull: Data analysis software Type: general – SubjectFull: Confidence intervals Type: general – SubjectFull: Children Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: A digital intervention to improve mental health and interpersonal resilience in young people who have experienced technology‐assisted sexual abuse: a feasibility clinical trial. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Bucci, Sandra – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Varese, Filippo – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Quayle, Ethel – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Cartwright, Kim – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Larkin, Amanda – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chan, Cindy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Chitsabesan, Prathiba – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Green, Victoria – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Hewins, William – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Machin, Matthew – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Newton, Alice – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Niebauer, Erica – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Norrie, John – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Radford, Gillian – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Richards, Cathy – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Sandys, Marina – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Selby, Victoria – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Shafi, Sara – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Ward, Jennifer – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Whelan, Pauline IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 02 Text: Feb2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 1475357X Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 31 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Child & Adolescent Mental Health Type: main |
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