ArticleTrials2026
Understanding trial informativeness in digital mental health: perspectives from researchers and lived experience experts.
Article in Trials, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
backgroundRandomised controlled trials (RCTs) are often considered the gold standard in research design to determine clinical and cost-effectiveness, and yet the majority are not considered "informative" or otherwise useful for decision-makers in research, clinical practice, and policy. What constitutes an informative trial of digital mental health interventions (DMHIs) for children and young people (CYP) remains unclear. By investigating the perspectives of researchers and young people, this study highlights key components that enhance the relevance, rigour, and impact of youth DMHI trials.
methodsThis multi-method qualitative study, guided by a pragmatist approach, explored the perspectives of researchers, with expertise in DMHIs, and young people, with lived experience of mental health conditions and DMHI use, on what is an informative DMHI trial for CYP (RQ1) and what contributes to informativeness (RQ2). Semi-structured interviews with researchers were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis, whilst the content of participatory group workshops with young people were summarised in relation to researcher-generated themes.
resultsSeven researchers and six young people participated. Four themes and 10 sub-themes were generated for what an informative trial is: 1) Addresses questions important to partners; 2) Feasible to conduct; 3) Trustworthy and credible, and 4) Accessible and safe. Three themes were generated as contributors to informativeness, including 5) Partner involvement; 6) Researcher and site capacity, and 7) The wider context. Both groups recognised the importance of informative trials, but researchers emphasised methodological rigour and logistics, whereas young people focused on broader concerns such as the impact of power dynamics.
conclusionsThis study highlights core components of informativeness in DMHI trials for CYP and demonstrates the value of involving both academic and non-academic contributors in shaping informativeness.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.