Brief Digital Interventions: An Implementation-Sensitive Approach to Addressing School Mental Health Needs of Youth with Mild and Emerging Mental Health Difficulties

Abstract

Brief digital interventions (BDIs) may help address the mental health needs of students when real-world resource constraints limit access to in-person or longer-form care. This article describes BDIs, which are conceptualized as being at the intersection of short-term interventions, internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy programs, and measurement-based care. We use a real-world example of a BDI which was delivered in Ontario schools as a practice example for this mode of intervention. We then identify potential clinical and ethical considerations, and we highlight some of the challenges of implementing and evaluating innovative interventions and measurement-based care initiatives in Canadian schools.