Enhancing an online cognitive behavioural therapy intervention for depression: Harnessing the feedback of sexual and gender minority youth to help improve SPARX

OBJECTIVE: SPARX is an online cognitive behavioural therapy self-help intervention for adolescent depression provided in serious game format. Since 2014, it has been freely available in Aotearoa New Zealand (NZ) due to funding from the NZ government. In 2020/21, feedback from sexual and gender minority youth (SGMY) was used to refine and update SPARX. METHOD: Three online focus groups and follow-up email consultations involved 12 SGMY (16 to 25 years old) in NZ. A general inductive approach was used to analyse data. RESULTS: SGMY had specific needs as well as preferences and four themes were identified: attend to our contextual realities; portrayals of sexual and gender minority people in games; envisaged ideals for serious gaming and appraisals of SPARX. SGMY feedback was used to improve SPARX for this unique population, with the updates launched in October 2021. CONCLUSIONS: SGMY are underserved in terms of their mental health needs. Refining or tailoring existing interventions proffers a potential way forward in terms of addressing these needs.