Effectiveness and Experiences of Online Mental Health Peer Support for Young People: Systematic Scoping Review

Overall, online mental health peer support demonstrated positive effects on clinical and personal recovery outcomes. However, findings related to user experiences were mixed. Experiences were influenced by factors such as safety, anonymity, and the quality of peer interactions. These insights may inform the role alongside traditional services, attractive platform design, and safeguarding. Future research should further explore the integration of online peer support with traditional services and various digital platforms to better address young people's mental health needs and further examine its effectiveness as well as experiences in practice to maximize the peer support benefits and reduce risks.