About this session

Thursday, 1:40 PM - 3:10 PM

Technological innovations in Family Mental Health: Setting the Next Research Agenda

The digital health field has long had great potential to transform access to family mental healthcare, but the urgency of the pandemic transformed it into a critical area of research. However, following the “boom” of programs, including both telehealth services and app-based programs, the field has been met with a reckoning regarding the real-world effectiveness and sustainability of these tools, particularly for children, teens and parents. Many evidence-based interventions developed during the pandemic, may no longer maintain efficacy now that pandemic stress and barriers to access have been removed. Industry has seen a consolidation of companies and services to pivot away from purely digital solutions to hybrid models that can be tailored to client needs. Moreover, to avoid widening existing inequities, careful thought has to go into implementation in communities who are already marginalized in our health system. Our roundtable will discuss promising advances and current challenges. We’ll highlight the influence of AI, importance of co-development, and the need for rigorous research with representative samples that these solutions intend to treat (Lehtimaki et al., 2021). Our discussion will focus on what we know works, what doesn’t, and exciting areas for the future.

Why This Matters
The promise of digital mental health is significant, but research indicates a nuanced picture. With concerns about online fatigue rising, our roundtable seeks to address a gap in current discussions: how do we refine interventions in ways that are sustainable and evidence-based (Lehtimaki et al., 2021, Garrido et al., 2019)? Our panelists—ranging from AI researchers to non-profit leaders working in policy and youth engagement—bring a unique, real-world perspective that bridges research, product development, and policy advocacy. Dr. Rebecca Pillai Riddel leads the Cross-Canada Digital, Inclusive, Virtual, and Equitable Research Training in Mental Health Platform (DIVERT Mental Health) a federally funded national transdisciplinary research training platform dedicated to changing the course of research and practice by integrating technology and the diverse lived experiences of children, youth, and their families into program development. Dr. Dave Anderson is a leader in child mental health, dedicated to reducing stigma, contributing to public education and outreach, increasing access, and ensuring that services are developed with diverse communities and enhanced by principles of science and equity. Dr. Jessica Flannery helped develop and evaluate several therapeutics for adolescents and is building an AI powered product designed to help families navigate digital wellness. This includes the identification of mental health concerns, taking a family-centered approach with parent and teen involvement. Dr. Leslie Roos develops family programs using community co-design and hybrid approaches. She is collaborating to understand priorities of equity-deserving groups including Indigenous, immigrant and rural communities. We will discuss key opportunities for integration with family-centered care to ensure lasting impact (Reynard et al., 2022).

Theoretical and Meta-Analytic Foundations
Our conversation is grounded in findings from meta-analyses, which reveal that digital interventions for mental health work, on average, and tend to be most effective when combined with in-person support or guidance from a professional (Lehtimaki et al., 2021; Reynard et al., 2022). For example, digital cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) interventions have shown only small effect sizes for treating depression and anxiety in children when delivered as standalone tools, whereas programs that include a human element—whether from a parent, peer, or clinician—tend to result in better engagement and adherence(Csirmaz, et al., 2023). This raises questions about how interventions can be designed to truly benefit participants in the long-term.

Key Discussion Points and Future Directions
• What is the range of technology-based initiatives that could support family mental health? Why should we be considering technology as a means to support mental health now that in-person support exists? {All panelists}
o Outline the wide range of ways technology can be used to promote mental health across online programs, telehealth therapy, AI-based tracking, gamification etc.
o Discuss promising interventions as well as failures and what happens when programs are disseminated without an evidence base.

• How should community partnerships guide program development? What are the expected benefits of co-development? {Riddel, Roos, Anderson}
o Outline the importance of co-development to promote inclusivity in technology innovations and examples of best practices in the area.
o Explore how involving families in the design process can lead to more effective tools (not just adults, but the children and teens).
o Discuss interdisciplinary approaches that combine tech with clinical expertise.

• What gaps in research exist regarding the integration of technology into family mental health? What are the next big advances needed in the field? {All panelists}
o Highlight engagement issues, differentiation of high from low quality options, effectiveness for different demographics, and issues of access.
o How is Artificial Intelligence (AI) being conceptualized in digital mental health? What are the risks of trusting algorithms to guide health promotion?
o How can training programs build capacity in the next-generation to promote ethical and effective program development?

• What regulatory guidelines should be in place in mental health technology? {Anderson, Flannery, Pillai Riddell}
o Should we be asking families to share family health data in exchange for convenience? How much should we trust tech companies?
o How can regulations advance mental health equity and ensure that digital initiatives don’t inequitably impact certain communities

• How can we prepare mental health researchers and practitioners to embrace or innovate technological solutions with industry and computer science partners to increase treatment access? {Flannery, Pillai Riddell, Roos}
o Discuss gaps in current training and innovative potential directions in academic programs.
o Consider challenges in academia re grant funding cycles and the pace of innovation
o Discuss the role of industry in upskilling of our mental health workforce to embrace technology.

Through these conversations, we will set a clear research agenda for the next generation of research, ensuring that the digital tools we develop are not only cutting-edge but also grounded in rigorous, inclusive, and ethical practices. Key outcomes will be to generate a commentary article on the topic and build a community of researchers who are interested in advancing access and equity in family mental health care.

The field of digital mental health has seen dramatic advances in the past 5 years following the transition of care to online approaches during the pandemic and ubiquity of smartphone use in over 98% of North American households. The rapid pace of technological innovations, from AI-driven interventions to app-based treatments, has created a unique landscape in which technology holds significant potential to enhance access, quality, and outcomes in family mental health care. However, the rapid-pace of advancements also presents new challenges to consider in the field of child development and health promotion. Central issues to reconcile include a need for rigorous scientific process to assess the benefits or harms of innovations, the outpaced investments in industry vs. academia, and the potential for technology to both ameliorate and worsen inequities in mental health care for underserved communities.

This roundtable brings together experts (Drs. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, Jessica Flannery, Dave Anderson, & Leslie Roos) from academia, nonprofit, and industry sectors to discuss the evolving role of technology in promoting family mental health. Our moderator, Dr. Phil Fisher (Stanford University, California) holds extensive knowledge in program and policy development central to understanding how innovations in digital mental health could shape the child health and development field. We specifically consider ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and evidence gaps in this rapidly developing area. Our overarching goal is to chart a forward-looking research agenda that ensures these innovations are not only effective but also equitable and developmentally appropriate for families. The field of digital mental health has seen dramatic advances in the past 5 years following the transition of care to online approaches during the pandemic and ubiquity of smartphone use in over 98% of North American households. The rapid pace of technological innovations, from AI-driven interventions to app-based treatments, has created a unique landscape in which technology holds significant potential to enhance access, quality, and outcomes in family mental health care. However, the rapid-pace of advancements also presents new challenges to consider in the field of child development and health promotion. Central issues to reconcile include a need for rigorous scientific process to assess the benefits or harms of innovations, the outpaced investments in industry vs. academia, and the potential for technology to both ameliorate and worsen inequities in mental health care for underserved communities.

This roundtable brings together experts (Drs. Rebecca Pillai Riddell, Jessica Flannery, Dave Anderson, & Leslie Roos) from academia, nonprofit, and industry sectors to discuss the evolving role of technology in promoting family mental health. Our moderator, Dr. Phil Fisher (Stanford University, California) holds extensive knowledge in program and policy development central to understanding how innovations in digital mental health could shape the child health and development field. We specifically consider ethical considerations, privacy concerns, and evidence gaps in this rapidly developing area. Our overarching goal is to chart a forward-looking research agenda that ensures these innovations are not only effective but also equitable and developmentally appropriate for families.

Session moderator
Philip Fisher, Ph.D., Stanford University, United States

Panelists
Dr. Rebecca Rita Pillai Riddell, Ph.D., York University , Canada
Dr. Jessica S. Flannery, Ph.D., Aura Health , United States
Dr. Leslie E. Roos, Ph.D., University of Manitoba , Canada
Dr. David Anderson, Child Mind Institute , United States

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