Living lab AI4U - artificial intelligence for personalized digital mental health promotion and prevention in youth

Abstract Background Youth are particularly affected by mental health problems, but their use of preventive interventions remains limited. The advances in Artificial Intelligence (AI) enable the development of digital interventions for mental health promotion and prevention. This applies to ecological momentary interventions (EMI), which offer adaptive training components in daily life. Methods In a preparatory phase, focus groups (N = 2, aged: 15-21 years) and a representative survey (N = 666, aged: 16-24) with young individuals as well as qualitative interviews with stakeholders in routine public mental health provision were conducted. Results None of the stakeholders used digital interventions in their everyday work but were interested in their use. The importance of data protection and security, usability, and participation of the target population in all stages of the research process was emphasized. The risk of a digital divide, acceptance of used terminology, and difficulties of structural embedding were mentioned as important barriers for successful implementation. Young individuals had a positive attitude toward digitization and AI and their use in mental health promotion and prevention and underlined the importance of practical benefits for users. They had a pragmatic attitude toward data use policies. Around 70% of young individuals were already using mHealth apps. Psychological distress was associated with the use of, and positive attitude towards, mHealth apps. Discussion Findings have contributed to the ongoing main phase. The living lab AI4U will be carried out in transdisciplinary projects involving direct participation of relevant stakeholders, users from the target population and an interdisciplinary research group. Each of these projects includes one or more real-world experiments. These will be embedded in a transdisciplinary infrastructure, which will ensure ongoing quality assurance, sustainability assessment, public relations and networking.