Preventing suicidality through online tools: The SUPREME project

Abstract

Suicide Prevention by Internet and Media-Based Mental Health Promotion (SUPREME) is a mental health promotion programme, which comprises a multi- language, culturally adapted, highly interactive website accessible to the general public that is particularly aimed at adolescents. The website offered users access to interactive services such as a real-time chat communication and a discussion forum moderated by mental health professionals, as well as written information addressing various mental health problems. The written content aimed to raise knowledge and awareness about mental health and suicide, to combat stigma and to stimulate helping and help-seeking behaviours. The effectiveness of the intervention website was tested in a randomised, single-blind, minimal treatment- controlled, parallel, multi-centre trial. A statistically signifi- cant decline in nearly all mental health-related outcomes, such as depression, anxiety and stress, suicidal thoughts and ideation was observed. The decline was continuously shown after the second and third wave of data collection. However, the interaction effects between study arms did not reach statistical significance. Internet-based interventions have, if properly executed, great potential of making mental health-promoting activities and services more salient, available and affordable to people regardless of socio-economic status. As indicated by the data collected in SUPREME, the vast majority of European adolescents spend considerable time on the Internet every day. This provides an opportunity to offer mental health promotion even to those individuals who are unlikely to speak about their problems intimately with a professional or others.