Promoting help-seeking using e-technology for adolescents with mental health problems: Results from a RCT within the ProHEAD Consortium
Abstract Mental health problems (MHP) are common in adolescents. Help-seeking behavior (HSB) in this age group is low. An online intervention promoting HSB in adolescents with MHP (ProHEAD-Online) was evaluated in a randomized controlled trial. It was hypothesized that adolescents allocated to ProHEAD-Online would show increased real-world HSB after 12 months compared to adolescents in the control group. A multicenter randomized controlled trial was conducted in a school-based community setting in Germany. n = 1470 students (≥12 years, 74.6% female) with MHP and no HSB at baseline were randomized (ProHEAD-Online: n = 739; control: n = 731). Professional HSB of 4.5% (control) and 5.7% (ProHEAD-Online) was reported at the primary endpoint (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = [0.78, 2.10], p = 0.34 ). Age at baseline moderated the treatment effect (OR = 0.79, 95% CI = [0.64, 0.97], p = 0.03 ), ProHEAD-Online only improved HSB in younger adolescents. No significant differences by treatment arm on secondary outcomes (i.e., severity of MHP, health-related quality of life, attitudes toward help-seeking, perceived barriers to help-seeking, help-seeking intentions, and treatment satisfaction). Professional HSB in adolescents with MHP is low. An online intervention to increase HSB in adolescents with MHP was not superior to static online content. Improving HSB, particularly among older adolescents, remains challenging.
Authors
- Mandy Rogalla (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2927-5158)
- Silke Diestelkamp (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6349-8059)
- Johanna Stadler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9671-0258)
- Vera Gillé (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7787-2021)
- Sophia Lustig
- Regina Richter
- Alisa Hiery
- Sabrina Baldofski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3175-7914)
- Fikret Özer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9537-2381)
- Sarah-Lena Klemm (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-6989-2101)
- Franz Resch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9479-518X)
- Elke Voß
- Sophia Müller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-8755-4202)
- Heike Eschenbeck (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3786-5476)
- Lina-Jolien Peter (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0635-6687)
- Becker Kj
- Stella Hammon
- Elisabeth Kohls (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9093-6547)
- Sabrina Bonnet
- Marialuisa Cavelti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4726-396X)
- Silvano Sele (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0767-2515)
- Christina Gallinat (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3976-6471)
- Jennifer Krämer
- Hans-Joachim Salize
- Steffen Luntz
- Markus Moessner
- Julian Koenig
- Christine Rummel-Kluge
- Anna-Lena Schulz
- Johanna Jade
- Johannes Feldhege
- Stephanie Bauer
- Michael Kaess
- Laya Lehner
- Rainer Thomasius
Institutions
- University of Bern (CH)
- Universität Hamburg (DE)
- Philipps University of Marburg (DE)
- University of Cologne (DE)
- Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen (DE)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- University Hospital Heidelberg (DE)
- Central Institute of Mental Health (DE)
- University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf (DE)
- University of Design Schwäbisch Gmünd (DE)
- Brain (Germany) (DE)
- University Hospital Cologne (DE)
- Heidelberg University (US)
- Leipzig University (DE)
Publication Details
- Journal
- npj Digital Medicine
- Published
- 2026-07-23
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1038/s41746-026-03013-6
- Primary Topic
- Digital Mental Health Interventions
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 0.00
Funders
- Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung