Integrating the digital culture of youth in clinical mental health assessments: protocol for the codesign and pilot test of an interview method.

Abstract

Digital media practices have varied implications for the mental health of youth, notably as a function of sociocultural and environmental factors. However, there are limited tools available to guide the assessment of digital culture in clinical practice. This study will aim to design and pilot test an interview tool for the assessment of youth digital culture, as a companion to the Cultural Formulation Interview which broadly assesses cultural factors in mental healthcare. We will recruit youth aged 16-35 years and receiving mental healthcare in Montreal, Canada, to codesign (n=10) and evaluate (n=20) the interview tool. We will also recruit clinician participants (n=10) to provide feedback on the interview. The tool will be developed with codesign participants using the nominal group technique and subsequently tested with the evaluation participants. We will provide the evaluation participants and clinicians with a written summary of the interview and will assess their perspectives on the feasibility, acceptability and utility of the interview method through surveys and debriefing interviews. We will conduct reflexive thematic analysis of the interview transcripts and descriptive quantitative analyses of the feasibility, acceptability and utility scores. The study received ethical approval from the Research Ethics Board of the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal (MP-18-2025-1164). The results will be interpreted in consultation with codesign participants and will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, workshops for clinicians and academic conferences.