Supporting Youth Mental Health in Arctic Communities: Assessing the Usefulness of a Culturally Focused CBT e-Intervention

Description

*Cette session sera interprétée en direct de l’anglais vers le français.

Inuit youth in Northern Canada, while resilient, face extreme adversities leading to diverse mental health needs and the highest adolescent suicide rates in the world. Yet, remote northern communities in Nunavut are often lacking mental wellness resources for prevention and intervention. We will review a study that examines the effectiveness of a culturally adapted, CBT-based serious e-game (Inuit-SPARX) in conveying problem-solving strategies and enhancing mental wellness. I-SPARX was culturally adapted for and by Inuit communities from the original SPARX (an e-game developed for Māori youth in New Zealand). The I-SPARX video game uses 7 levels of adventures to teach 12 CBT-based to help with stress and low mood. We will discuss the process of developing this intervention in collaboration with Inuit communities; we will also present results and feedback obtained from 110 testers across Nunavut.

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  Dr. Yvonne Bohr is an Associate Professor of Clinical Developmental Psychology specializing in child and youth mental health. Her clinical and research activities are rooted in human rights, social justice, and the important role of the social determinants of mental health. She believes that all children, families and communities should be entitled to the best available scientifically supported mental health resources, that they should have a voice in these interventions, and that research, prevention and intervention should always be based on collaborative empiricism. Yvonne strives to be an ally to Indigenous communities.