Mental health consequences of digital exclusion
Method Stream: Literature Review
ECs: Both 14 and 23 EC thesis possible
Description:
Digital mental health interventions are becoming mainstream, either as supportive or stand-alone interventions to prevent and/or treat mental health issues. Although digital interventions aim to increase access to quality mental health care, there are different reasons why some individuals cannot access them. These reasons range from poverty (e.g., not being able to purchase, or having to share electronic devices) to refusal (e.g., distrust of data storage practices of states or companies). This thesis assignment explores the mental health consequences of not having access to and/or being excluded from digital interventions.
The aim of this review will be explore structural and individual determinants of digital exclusion and their mental health consequences.
For the 14 EC thesis, a literature review can map the theories of digital exclusion or access concerns of digital mental health interventions. The review could take the form of a scoping or narrative review. The focus can be on mental health in general or focus on one issue in particular (e.g., depression, anxiety), and similarly can focus on one or more forms of digital exclusion.
For the 23 EC thesis, interviews and/or interpretive focus groups could be conducted with members of communities with low access to digital mental health interventions to explore the perceived consequences of digital exclusion.
Suggested reading:
Plaut, E. (2023). Strategic illiteracies: the long game of technology refusal and disconnection. Communication Theory, 33(1), 21-31.
Gangadharan, S. (2021). Digital exclusion: A politics of refusal. Digital technology and democratic theory, 113-140.