Today’s youth are experiencing continued mental health challenges. Globally, 1 in 7 adolescents experience a mental health disorder, with depression and anxiety being the leading causes of illness and disability among them (World Health Organization, 2025). Worsening mental health can interact with the period that adolescents have for developing social and emotional habits that are important to their mental health. From 2007–2017, the suicide rate for U.S. adolescents increased drastically by approximately 86%, calling attention to the mental health environment for youth and adolescents in this country (Woolf, 2025).
Despite growing need for mental health support, adolescents have difficulty accessing mental health services. (McGorry, et al., 2025). For example, 1 in 2 children with mental health disorders receive no mental health services (Fox & Hanes, 2023). Factors that can contribute to mental illness in these populations include access to quality support, being part of a marginalized identity that faces discrimination, decreased social connections, as well as high social media use (Faverio & Sidoti, 2024).
It is no secret that adolescents are using social media and digital platforms at an increasing rate. Around 95% of U.S. teens (ages 13 to 17) use social media platforms, with 73% reporting daily use, 50% of teens using mobile health resources, and 64% of U.S. teens using GenAI (generative artificial intelligence) chatbots (Faverio & Sidoti, 2024). Given the widespread use of digital platforms among youth, questions have emerged about how these platforms may influence mental health and help-seeking behaviors.
As mental health needs continue to increase and barriers to care persist, many young people are turning to digital technologies, including GenAI chatbots for information, emotional support, and mental health-related guidance. Understanding how young people engage with these tools is increasingly relevant for mental health professionals.
