MINDCHECK: a new paradigm of mental health check-up for youth

• Grant number: 23/10488-2
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Innovative Research in Small Business - PIPE
• Start date: November 01, 2023
• End date: July 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Health Sciences - Medicine - Psychiatry
• Principal Investigator: Pedro Mario Pan Neto
• Grantee: Pedro Mario Pan Neto
• Company: Mindcheck Checkup em Saúde Mental Ltda
• CNAE: Atividades de atenção ambulatorial executadas por médicos e odontólogos
• City: São Paulo
• Pesquisadores principais: Rodrigo Affonseca Bressan
• Associated researchers: José Diogo Ribeiro de Souza

Abstract

There has been a significant increase in mental distress among young people in recent years, with mental disorders being the leading medical cause of disability among all medical conditions in the second and third decades of life. Although there is sufficient evidence that mental disorders have early onset, they are often detected only in later stages due to lack of awareness, stigma, and limited access to treatment. Early identification of mental health issues remains a challenge, leaving psychiatry behind other specialties that conduct check-ups to screen and prevent diseases. Building on cutting-edge clinical and scientific expertise in academia, we aim to transition to the private sector and develop MINDCHECK, a digital mental health check-up product for youth. MINDCHECK will identify the risk of mental disorders based on scientific foundations and innovative technologies. Specific objectives include developing a technological innovation process and exploring whether MINDCHECK can provide parameters for: a) seeking early help (minimizing unnecessary support); b) identifying areas for reinforcement (e.g., sports); c) identifying areas requiring attention (e.g., excessive exposure to social media); d) fostering socio-emotional skills and resilience. The research methodology involves organizing and conducting co-participatory development cycles through workshops involving adolescents, young adults, caregivers, mental health professionals, and educators. Subsequently, an intuitive and user-friendly prototype of the digital mental health assessment platform will be developed, based on models created by end-users in co-participatory design workshops, in collaboration with a technology partner. The co-participatory workshops and technological development process will be supported by user experience consulting and experts in digital products for socio-emotional skill evaluation. Qualitative research will then be conducted with potential users of the Alpha version, designed based on the workshops and prototyped in collaboration with the technology team and consultants, to assess the feasibility and usability of the initial version. Thus, MINDCHECK aims to be an innovative, marketable, and scalable product that meets a significant unmet demand by enabling early identification while considering the high complexity of mental health (multidimensional), facilitating digital access, and reducing stigma. (AU)