Young people with a chronic condition experience higher rates of mental illness and lower well-being than their peers. Dr Amy Finlay-Jones developed an online program called Uplift to increase self-compassion in young people living with chronic medical conditions.

The group of young people that took part in the study reported over 50 unique chronic conditions. The most common chronic conditions included chronic pain, type 1 diabetes, allergies, asthma, and chronic fatigue syndrome. Over 70% had moderate to severe levels of psychological distress (symptoms of depression and/or anxiety). Nearly half of the study participants reported a diagnosed mental health condition.

In a randomized control trial, Dr Finlay-Jones compared mental health outcomes for two groups: one who completed the online program, and the group who were on a waitlist to receive the program. Results showed the group who completed the program had improvements in well-being, self-compassion, and distress that were maintained for at least 3 months since starting the program.

As the program was online it was also self-paced, meaning that young people could use it when and where it suited them. This is important for young people with chronic conditions, who often experience unpredictable symptoms that can limit their capacity to engage with face-to-face services.   The inclusion of young people with a broad range of chronic conditions also reminded the participants that other people had gone through similar experiences to them so that they felt less isolated.

Full results of the study are published here: https://www.jmir.org/2023/1/e44016