TY  - JOUR
AU  - Beames, Joanne R
AU  - Werner-Seidler, Aliza
AU  - Hodgins, Michael
AU  - Brown, Lyndsay
AU  - Fujimoto, Hiroko
AU  - Bartholomew, Alexandra
AU  - Maston, Kate
AU  - Huckvale, Kit
AU  - Zbukvic, Isabel
AU  - Torok, Michelle
AU  - Christensen, Helen
AU  - Batterham, Philip J
AU  - Calear, Alison L
AU  - Lingam, Raghu
AU  - Boydell, Katherine M
PY  - 2023
DA  - 2023/6/12
TI  - Implementing a Digital Depression Prevention Program in Australian Secondary Schools: Cross-Sectional Qualitative Study
JO  - JMIR Pediatr Parent
SP  - e42349
VL  - 6
KW  - implementation
KW  - youth
KW  - digital
KW  - depression
KW  - secondary school
KW  - qualitative
KW  - consolidated framework for implementation research
KW  - teacher
KW  - educator
KW  - perspective
KW  - mental health
KW  - student
KW  - child
KW  - adolescent
KW  - adolescence
KW  - school
KW  - social work
AB  - Background: Depression is common during adolescence and is associated with adverse educational, employment, and health outcomes in later life. Digital programs are increasingly being implemented in schools to improve and protect adolescent mental health. Although digital depression prevention programs can be effective, there is limited knowledge about how contextual factors influence real-world delivery at scale in schools. Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the contextual factors that influence the implementation of the Future Proofing Program (FPP) from the perspectives of school staff. The FPP is a 2-arm hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial evaluating whether depression can be prevented at scale in schools, using an evidence-based smartphone app delivered universally to year 8 students (13-14 years of age). Methods: Qualitative interviews were conducted with 23 staff from 20 schools in New South Wales, Australia, who assisted with the implementation of the FPP. The interviews were guided by our theory-driven logic model. Reflexive thematic analysis, using both deductive and inductive coding, was used to analyze responses. Results: Staff perceived the FPP as a novel (“innovative approach”) and appropriate way to address an unmet need within schools (“right place at the right time”). Active leadership and counselor involvement were critical for planning and engaging; teamwork, communication, and staff capacity were critical for execution (“ways of working within schools”). Low student engagement and staffing availability were identified as barriers for future adoption and implementation by schools (“reflecting on past experiences”). Conclusions: Four superordinate themes pertaining to the program, implementation processes, and implementation barriers were identified from qualitative responses by school staff. On the basis of our findings, we proposed a select set of recommendations for future implementation of digital prevention programs delivered at scale in schools. These recommendations were designed to facilitate an organizational change and help staff to implement digital mental health programs within their schools. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2020-042133 
SN  - 2561-6722
UR  - https://pediatrics.jmir.org/2023/1/e42349
UR  - https://doi.org/10.2196/42349
UR  - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37307051
DO  - 10.2196/42349
ID  - info:doi/10.2196/42349
ER  -