大象传媒

COVID-19 has increased demand for mental health services for youth and families. In response, 大象传媒 researchers have developed a virtual program supporting youth experiencing severe mental health issues鈥攁 program that is drawing global interest.

eConnect Online is the virtual adaptation of the  designed for parents of youth (8-18 years) at risk for serious mental health problems. The program fosters strong and secure parent-child relationships as a pathway to resilience and better mental health for both youth and their parents.

Connect was developed by psychology professor Marlene Moretti and researchers in  in collaboration with government stakeholders, mental health centres, clinicians and parents. It has been implemented across the globe and achieved the highest ranking in demonstrated evidence of effectiveness by the California evidence-based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (CEBC).

Lin Bao, a doctoral student working with Moretti, led the virtual adaptation of eConnect Online in partnership with the Maples Adolescent Treatment Centre, the Ministry of Child and Family Development and an international network of clinical scientists and mental health practitioners.

鈥渆Connect Online doesn鈥檛 dictate how parents should parent; instead, it encourages parents through role-plays and reflection exercises to step-back and reflect on the attachment issues that may underlie with their youth鈥檚 challenges.鈥� says Moretti, who holds a Canada Research Chair in Youth Clinical Psychological Science. She was recently  for her contributions to developmental psychology in Canada.

鈥淧arents develop skills to identify and regulate their own feelings, to reflect or mentalize about what is their child鈥檚 mind and their feelings, and to use empathy to support their teen while still setting limits.鈥�

The virtual format removed significant barriers for parents to attend groups and for healthcare providers to run groups, meeting urgent mental health needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past two years, the program has been implemented across Canada and internationally. More than 250 facilitators have been trained in B.C., Ontario, Alberta, Nova Scotia, and Manitoba, as well as in Sweden, Italy, Australia, China, South Africa, and Mexico.

Moretti says while more research is needed to fully evaluate the program, response to eConnect Online has been very positive, with families and clinicians adapting quickly to the online format and finding it easy to engage in group-based exercises and discussions.

鈥淩esults show significant increases in the security of parent-teen relationships, and decreases in youth mental health problems, parent depressed mood and stress,鈥� says Moretti.

Results from international partners will also provide a better picture of the fit and value of eConnect Online across different countries and cultures.

鈥淐OVID-19 brought adversity, but adversity created hope and opportunity,鈥� she notes. 鈥淰irtual healthcare delivery is here to stay, and eConnect Online can help us reach many more families around the world who otherwise might have been left behind.鈥�