The acceptability and effectiveness of simple interventions in reducing mental health problems in help-seeking young people

The incidence of mental illness in young people is the highest of any age group, with the onset of high prevalence disorders such as depression, anxiety and substance use peaking within the age range of 15 to 24 years. In this age group, disorders are likely to be emerging or sub-threshold, with a definitive diagnosis often difficult to make. This creates specific challenges for young people in terms of accessing appropriate youth-specific programs, treatment options, or services. Early intervention in youth mental health aims not only to prevent the progression of a disorder but importantly to reduce the likelihood of ongoing problems with social, education, and vocational functioning. Given that mental health issues are likely to be in the early stages of disorder in this age group, it is essential that any intervention is simple yet effective and delivered in the least threatening environment. For example, milder disorders in an early stage may respond to simple measures such as psychosocial support and psychoeducation. The proposed research aims to assess whether emerging mental health disorders in young people aged 15-25 respond to simple interventions delivered in an enhanced primary care setting. Approximately 160 young people will be randomised to receive a combination of the following treatment packages for 6 weeks: 1. Psychosocial – Problem Solving Therapy (active condition) or supportive counselling (control condition) 2. Exercise – behavioural intervention (active) or psychoeducation (control). Clinical measures will be taken at baseline, midpoint, endpoint, and at 6 and 12 month follow-ups. The clinical data will be measured by a range of questionnaires assessing symptoms and functioning. As the current project is exploratory in nature, hypotheses will be stated as primary and secondary aims. Primary aims 1. To evaluate whether preventively-oriented, simple treatments are acceptable and effective treatments for managing emerging mental health disorders in young people and if so, 2. Which interventions (or their combination) are most effective for various types or severities of clinical presentations Secondary aims 3. To characterise diagnostic issues in emerging or subthreshold disorders by identifying symptom and demographic clusters which predict mental health trajectories 4. To identify possible markers in those who are likely to respond to less-complex interventions.