How is digital technology impacting young people's mental health?

The National Mental Health Commission is looking into the ways digital technology affects the mental health of young people. We know that digital technology can affect young people’s mental health and wellbeing in both good and bad ways. We want to come up with ideas that will encourage the benefits of digital technologies and decrease harmful impacts on young people.

When we talk about digital technology, we mean all different types of electronic tools, systems, and devices for example, phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and gaming consoles. We are also talking about different digital environments, services, and platforms such as social media (for example, TikTok and Instagram) and gaming platforms.


Why are we doing this survey?

Through this survey, we are looking to better understand the ways young people use digital technologies and how this can impact them. This will allow us to build the evidence base, identify practical solutions and provide advice to Government and the mental health and suicide prevention sectors on what can be done to support young people in an increasingly digital world.

We want to hear from young people, parents, educators, and experts in youth mental health and digital technologies. Each of these perspectives offer unique and valuable insight into this topic. It is particularly important young people can participate in forming policy advice that will affect them directly.


What are the questions like?

The survey asks you whether you agree or disagree with nine statements and tell us what you think should be done, or what you might already be doing, to address them. While we note there are many positives to digital technology, this survey intentionally addresses the negative impact of digital technology on young people.

You will be asked about topics such as sleep, physical activity, social comparison and discussing mental health experiences online, as well as online exposure to crisis information, bullying or inappropriate content such as sexually explicit, violent, or hateful material. If you are a young person completing the survey, we encourage you to consider asking a parent or guardian to complete the survey with you.

The survey is voluntary, and you may choose to end the survey at any time. You do not have to answer all the questions if you don’t want to.

If you chose to answer all the questions, the survey should take between 15-30 minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you provide in your responses.

The last date to complete the survey is 2 July 2023.


Who is going to see the answers?

You can remain anonymous in completing this survey by choosing which questions you respond to and what information you provide. We won’t ask you to provide your name or any details that will identify you.

The project team at the Commission will review and analyse the answers to the survey. These will be collated into themes and used in a final report.

Where you (or another person) could be identified from your survey response, the information provided will be considered personal or sensitive information under privacy legislation. Some of the questions allow you to provide a written answer, so please do not include any information or identifying details you are not happy to provide. Please also do not include information that identifies other individuals in your response. Any published information that draws from the survey results will be presented in aggregate or otherwise deidentified.

The survey includes a set of demographic questions, such as your gender and state of residence to help us understand which perspectives are being represented in the responses we receive. These questions are voluntary, and you can complete the survey without providing this information. We do need your age to verify your consent to answering this survey.


What are the answers going to contribute to?

The Commission will use the information collected in this survey to help us develop policy advice that will help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people. This will be presented in a final report that will be shared on the Commission’s website and with the Minister for Health and Aged Care.


Questions

If you have any technical questions regarding the survey, please contact engagement@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au.

If you would like to speak with someone from the National Mental Health Commission, please email the team at youth@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au.


Privacy information

We are grateful that you are taking the time to answer questions in this survey. We understand and take seriously your privacy and the sensitivity of the information you provide.

The National Mental Health Commission respects and upholds your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

To read the National Mental Health Commission’s full privacy policy, please click here.


Support

If you have any questions about the topic, or feel sad, upset, or concerned during or after the survey, you can access support and information through:

  • Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
  • Lifeline on 13 11 14
  • beyondblue on 1300 224 636
  • MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
  • Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
  • StandBy Support After Suicide: 1300 727 247 – 24/7 support for anyone impacted by a suicide death that can connect people to their local StandBy services.
  • 13YARN: 13 92 76 – 24/7 Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
  • QLife: 1800 184 527 – LGBTI specific support (not a crisis line, provides peer support and referral)


Resources that provide parents with support to have conversations with their children around online safety issues and strategies are available on the eSafety Commissioner’s website at: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources

The National Mental Health Commission is looking into the ways digital technology affects the mental health of young people. We know that digital technology can affect young people’s mental health and wellbeing in both good and bad ways. We want to come up with ideas that will encourage the benefits of digital technologies and decrease harmful impacts on young people.

When we talk about digital technology, we mean all different types of electronic tools, systems, and devices for example, phones, tablets, computers, laptops, and gaming consoles. We are also talking about different digital environments, services, and platforms such as social media (for example, TikTok and Instagram) and gaming platforms.


Why are we doing this survey?

Through this survey, we are looking to better understand the ways young people use digital technologies and how this can impact them. This will allow us to build the evidence base, identify practical solutions and provide advice to Government and the mental health and suicide prevention sectors on what can be done to support young people in an increasingly digital world.

We want to hear from young people, parents, educators, and experts in youth mental health and digital technologies. Each of these perspectives offer unique and valuable insight into this topic. It is particularly important young people can participate in forming policy advice that will affect them directly.


What are the questions like?

The survey asks you whether you agree or disagree with nine statements and tell us what you think should be done, or what you might already be doing, to address them. While we note there are many positives to digital technology, this survey intentionally addresses the negative impact of digital technology on young people.

You will be asked about topics such as sleep, physical activity, social comparison and discussing mental health experiences online, as well as online exposure to crisis information, bullying or inappropriate content such as sexually explicit, violent, or hateful material. If you are a young person completing the survey, we encourage you to consider asking a parent or guardian to complete the survey with you.

The survey is voluntary, and you may choose to end the survey at any time. You do not have to answer all the questions if you don’t want to.

If you chose to answer all the questions, the survey should take between 15-30 minutes to complete, depending on how much detail you provide in your responses.

The last date to complete the survey is 2 July 2023.


Who is going to see the answers?

You can remain anonymous in completing this survey by choosing which questions you respond to and what information you provide. We won’t ask you to provide your name or any details that will identify you.

The project team at the Commission will review and analyse the answers to the survey. These will be collated into themes and used in a final report.

Where you (or another person) could be identified from your survey response, the information provided will be considered personal or sensitive information under privacy legislation. Some of the questions allow you to provide a written answer, so please do not include any information or identifying details you are not happy to provide. Please also do not include information that identifies other individuals in your response. Any published information that draws from the survey results will be presented in aggregate or otherwise deidentified.

The survey includes a set of demographic questions, such as your gender and state of residence to help us understand which perspectives are being represented in the responses we receive. These questions are voluntary, and you can complete the survey without providing this information. We do need your age to verify your consent to answering this survey.


What are the answers going to contribute to?

The Commission will use the information collected in this survey to help us develop policy advice that will help improve the mental health and wellbeing of young people. This will be presented in a final report that will be shared on the Commission’s website and with the Minister for Health and Aged Care.


Questions

If you have any technical questions regarding the survey, please contact engagement@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au.

If you would like to speak with someone from the National Mental Health Commission, please email the team at youth@mentalhealthcommission.gov.au.


Privacy information

We are grateful that you are taking the time to answer questions in this survey. We understand and take seriously your privacy and the sensitivity of the information you provide.

The National Mental Health Commission respects and upholds your rights under the Australian Privacy Principles contained in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth) and the Australian Privacy Principles.

To read the National Mental Health Commission’s full privacy policy, please click here.


Support

If you have any questions about the topic, or feel sad, upset, or concerned during or after the survey, you can access support and information through:

  • Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800
  • Lifeline on 13 11 14
  • beyondblue on 1300 224 636
  • MensLine Australia on 1300 789 978
  • Suicide Call Back Service on 1300 659 467
  • StandBy Support After Suicide: 1300 727 247 – 24/7 support for anyone impacted by a suicide death that can connect people to their local StandBy services.
  • 13YARN: 13 92 76 – 24/7 Crisis support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders
  • QLife: 1800 184 527 – LGBTI specific support (not a crisis line, provides peer support and referral)


Resources that provide parents with support to have conversations with their children around online safety issues and strategies are available on the eSafety Commissioner’s website at: https://www.esafety.gov.au/parents/resources

Page last updated: 03 Jul 2023, 10:30 AM