Help-Seeking Interests and Barriers of Adolescents Scoring at Risk for Psychosis Online: The Role of Caregiver Disclosure

OBJECTIVE: Online screening may facilitate help-seeking behavior among individuals at risk for psychosis, although adolescents rarely advance beyond information gathering. This study aimed to investigate adolescents' help-seeking actions, interests, and barriers to inform early intervention strategies. METHODS: A digital pathway was developed to screen, assess, and refer at-risk participants to care. This report presents preliminary trial data of adolescents (ages 12-17) seeking help online. RESULTS: In the trial's first 9 months, 7,944 adolescents had a positive online screen for psychosis risk; 91 (1.1%) advanced to texting with a peer navigator, and four (0.1%) advanced to assessment. Two of the four adolescents referred to care successfully initiated treatment; 25 offered explanations for not seeking care, most often because of reluctance to involve a caregiver (52%). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents are particularly susceptible to screening positive for psychosis risk, yet few subsequently seek help. Disclosure to caregivers may be a critical step to obtaining care for this population.