‘Youth-friendly’ characteristics of professionals in mental health settings

Abstract

Adolescents have a unique developmental vulnerability to suicide, with youth presenting as the second most vulnerable group to suicide across the lifespan. Youth have been recognized as underserved mental health service recipients, with only one in six of those in need receiving care. Calls for innovative mental health services to better serve youth have been articulated for over a decade and the adolescent health and mental health communities have responded. However, to date there has been little empirical discussion of the caregiver characteristics that would increase the likelihood of youth feeling comfortable discussing their mental health concerns. Objectives of this study were twofold: (1) to ask a large sample of Canadian youth [n = 11 171: 5146 males, 6001 females (n = 24 participants did not indicate their sex )] to identify characteristics of mental health professionals they would define as ‘youth-friendly’, and (2) to test which youth-friendly characteristics are deemed important to youth based on their circumstances, including those experiencing recent suicidality. Gender differences are also tested and explored. The absence of youth-friendly mental health service provision is proposed to be a modifiable barrier to help seeking in at-risk youth.