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Editorial Perspective: How spreading mental health information can be (un‐) helpful – a dynamic systems approach.

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Title: Editorial Perspective: How spreading mental health information can be (un‐) helpful – a dynamic systems approach.
Authors: Marcotulli, Daniele (AUTHOR), Foulkes, Lucy (AUTHOR), Stringaris, Argyris (AUTHOR)
Source: Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry. Mar2026, Vol. 67 Issue 3, p429-438. 10p.
Subjects: Predictive tests, Public health surveillance, Social media, Mental health, Computer software, Health impact assessment, Health policy, Autism, Systems theory, Help-seeking behavior, Diagnostic errors, Uncertainty, Students, Simulation methods in education, Communication, Attitudes of medical personnel, Medical needs assessment, Anxiety disorders, Psychoses, Asperger's syndrome, Health education, Public health, School health services, Weight gain
Abstract: Increasing awareness of mental health problems, including that of young people, is generally seen as positive, and many interventions to increase awareness are underway internationally. Yet, a principled evaluation of the benefits and harms of increasing awareness is still lacking. Here, we present a conceptual framework for the evaluation of information interventions that are aimed at increasing public awareness of mental health problems. We borrow concepts from dynamic systems, such as infection spread and related population growth, to ask how benefits, but also harms of information on mental health, may accrue over time. We argue that as information spreads, several cascades of events are set off that involve members of the general public but also clinicians and healthcare services. These cascades entail positive and negative feedback loops. We discuss not only how increased diagnoses can lead to positive outcomes (e.g. increasing diagnostic rates and appropriate treatments in those who would otherwise have remained undiagnosed) but also how increased awareness can lead to decreases in diagnostic accuracy, to service overload, and how they may expose people to unnecessary or harmful treatments. We argue that the need for a framework founded on modelling societal dynamics is needed to ensure that both the benefits and the downsides of mental health information are accurately gauged and to help the planning of better public health campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry 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:
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  Data: Editorial Perspective: How spreading mental health information can be (un‐) helpful – a dynamic systems approach.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Marcotulli%2C+Daniele%22">Marcotulli, Daniele</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Foulkes%2C+Lucy%22">Foulkes, Lucy</searchLink> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stringaris%2C+Argyris%22">Stringaris, Argyris</searchLink> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Journal+of+Child+Psychology+%26+Psychiatry%22">Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 67 Issue 3, p429-438. 10p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Predictive+tests%22">Predictive tests</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+health+surveillance%22">Public health surveillance</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+media%22">Social media</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Mental+health%22">Mental health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Computer+software%22">Computer software</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+impact+assessment%22">Health impact assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+policy%22">Health policy</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Autism%22">Autism</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Systems+theory%22">Systems theory</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Help-seeking+behavior%22">Help-seeking behavior</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Diagnostic+errors%22">Diagnostic errors</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Uncertainty%22">Uncertainty</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Students%22">Students</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Simulation+methods+in+education%22">Simulation methods in education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Communication%22">Communication</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Attitudes+of+medical+personnel%22">Attitudes of medical personnel</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Medical+needs+assessment%22">Medical needs assessment</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Anxiety+disorders%22">Anxiety disorders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Psychoses%22">Psychoses</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Asperger's+syndrome%22">Asperger's syndrome</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Health+education%22">Health education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Public+health%22">Public health</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22School+health+services%22">School health services</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Weight+gain%22">Weight gain</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Increasing awareness of mental health problems, including that of young people, is generally seen as positive, and many interventions to increase awareness are underway internationally. Yet, a principled evaluation of the benefits and harms of increasing awareness is still lacking. Here, we present a conceptual framework for the evaluation of information interventions that are aimed at increasing public awareness of mental health problems. We borrow concepts from dynamic systems, such as infection spread and related population growth, to ask how benefits, but also harms of information on mental health, may accrue over time. We argue that as information spreads, several cascades of events are set off that involve members of the general public but also clinicians and healthcare services. These cascades entail positive and negative feedback loops. We discuss not only how increased diagnoses can lead to positive outcomes (e.g. increasing diagnostic rates and appropriate treatments in those who would otherwise have remained undiagnosed) but also how increased awareness can lead to decreases in diagnostic accuracy, to service overload, and how they may expose people to unnecessary or harmful treatments. We argue that the need for a framework founded on modelling societal dynamics is needed to ensure that both the benefits and the downsides of mental health information are accurately gauged and to help the planning of better public health campaigns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry 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.)
PLink https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=pbh&AN=191429001
RecordInfo BibRecord:
  BibEntity:
    Identifiers:
      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1111/jcpp.70055
    Languages:
      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 10
        StartPage: 429
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Predictive tests
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public health surveillance
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social media
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Mental health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Computer software
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health impact assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health policy
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Autism
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Systems theory
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Help-seeking behavior
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Diagnostic errors
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Uncertainty
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Students
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Simulation methods in education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Communication
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Attitudes of medical personnel
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Medical needs assessment
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Anxiety disorders
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Psychoses
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Asperger's syndrome
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Health education
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Public health
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: School health services
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Weight gain
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Editorial Perspective: How spreading mental health information can be (un‐) helpful – a dynamic systems approach.
        Type: main
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            NameFull: Marcotulli, Daniele
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            NameFull: Foulkes, Lucy
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            NameFull: Stringaris, Argyris
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          Dates:
            – D: 01
              M: 03
              Text: Mar2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 00219630
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              Value: 67
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            – TitleFull: Journal of Child Psychology & Psychiatry
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