BackgroundVerbal working memory (WM) undergoes rapid development during school age, yet the impact of high-altitude hypoxia on this trajectory remains unclear. We propose two distinct models: the simple additive model, which posits that hypoxia imposes a uniform impairment independent of age, preserving developmental gains; the developmental trajectory reconfiguration model, which posits that hypoxia alters the typical age-related progression of WM. To test these models and explore related physiological factors, we examined WM performance and blood pressure (BP) in school-aged children across different altitudes.MethodsA 2 × 3 between-subjects design was used, involving 535 Zang (Tibetan) students (273 fourth graders, 262 eighth graders) from three altitudes (2,200, 3,200, and 4,200 m) in Qinghai, China. WM was assessed using the Digit Span Backward (DSB) task, and BP was measured with a wrist-type electronic sphygmomanometer.ResultsWe found a significant main effect of altitude on WM [F(2,529)=34.18,p<0.001,ηp2=0.11], indicating that WM in children declined markedly at altitudes around 4,200m. A significant grade-by-altitude interaction was also observed [F(2,529)=5.38,p=0.005,ηp2=0.02]. Model comparison favored the developmental trajectory restructuring model over the simple additive model [LRT:χ2(2)=10.77,p=0.005], supporting the hypothesis that high-altitude hypoxia alters the WM developmental trajectory. Further moderated regression analysis revealed a significant three-way interaction among grade, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and altitude [ΔR2 = 0.01, F(2,512) = 3.73, p = 0.025], suggesting that the moderating effect of DBP on WM development is altitude-dependent. Simple slope analysis showed that at 2,200 and 3,200 m, eighth graders outperformed fourth graders in WM only when DBP was at low or mean levels; at 4,200m, no significant grade differences were observed regardless of DBP level.ConclusionHigh-altitude hypoxia alters the developmental trajectory of verbal WM in Tibetan children, as evidenced by the disappearance of the typical grade advantage at higher altitudes and the altitude-dependent moderating role of DBP. These findings support the developmental trajectory reconfiguration model and highlight the physiological relevance of blood pressure in altitude-related cognitive development.
Clinical Study of Non-invasive 40-Hz Audiovisual Stimulation Guided by Gamma EEG Monitoring for Promoting Perioperative Brain Function Recovery in Children
Conditions: ADHD – Attention Deficit Disorder With Hyperactivity
Interventions: Device: 40-Hz non-invasive synchronized audiovisual stimulation
Sponsors: General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Device: 40-Hz non-invasive synchronized audiovisual stimulation
Sponsors: General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University
Not yet recruiting
Diagnostic Discrimination of BOKE STARS, a Bimodal Continuous Performance Test, for Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder Assessment in Chinese Children: Single-Center Case-Control Study
Background: Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) affects 6.3% of Chinese children, but only 10% are diagnosed, as diagnosis is hindered by low awareness and lack of culturally adapted, objective tools. Existing continuous performance tests are unimodal and lack validity. Objective: This study aimed to conduct an initial evaluation of the diagnostic discrimination of BOKE STARS (Sustained Task and Attention Response Screening), a culturally adapted bimodal continuous performance test, for distinguishing children with ADHD from typically developing children in a Chinese clinical setting. Methods: In this prospective, single-center diagnostic accuracy study with a case-control design, 100 children aged 6 to 12 years (n=50 with ADHD and n=50 controls) were recruited at Xinhua Hospital between January and May 2024. Parents completed the Swanson, Nolan, and Pelham Rating Scale–fourth version (SNAP-IV), and children completed the BOKE STARS assessment on a tablet device under standardized conditions. Group comparisons were conducted using independent-sample 2-tailed tests or Mann-Whitney tests, as appropriate. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed in the full case-control sample to assess diagnostic discrimination. Sensitivity and specificity were reported descriptively across ROC-derived cutoffs; these cutoffs were not interpreted as clinically validated diagnostic thresholds. Secondary exploratory analyses included comparisons among ADHD subtypes and correlations between BOKE STARS indices and parent-reported SNAP-IV symptom severity scores. Results: Compared with controls, children with ADHD performed significantly worse on all major BOKE STARS indices, including errors of omission, errors of commission, reaction time, reaction time variability (RTV), discrimination prime, and total score. In the full case-control sample, the total score showed the strongest diagnostic discrimination (area under the ROC curve [AUC] 0.962, 95% CI 0.931-0.992), followed by RTV (AUC 0.919, 95% CI 0.867-0.971), errors of omission (AUC 0.884, 95% CI 0.818-0.950), and discrimination prime (AUC 0.819, 95% CI 0.737-0.900). Errors of commission (AUC 0.689, 95% CI 0.585-0.792) and reaction time (AUC 0.634, 95% CI 0.524-0.743) showed comparatively weaker discrimination. No significant differences were observed among ADHD subtypes. Several BOKE STARS indices were modestly correlated with SNAP-IV inattention and hyperactivity or impulsivity scores. Conclusions: BOKE STARS showed promising preliminary diagnostic discrimination for identifying Chinese children with ADHD in this case-control sample, with the total score and RTV showing the strongest discriminatory performance. However, because the case-control design artificially fixed the ratio of ADHD cases to controls, diagnostic performance estimates and exploratory cutoffs should be interpreted cautiously and should not be considered representative of real-world clinical diagnostic performance. BOKE STARS may serve as an adjunctive assessment tool to complement clinical interviews and caregiver-reported rating scales, but further external validation in larger and clinically heterogeneous populations is required before broader clinical implementation.
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Digital Reassurance Seeking in OCD
– by Jordan Karr, PhD
We all need reassurance once in a while. Receiving reassurance from a friend, loved one, or expert can reduce short-term distress, foster a sense of connection, and help us move forward in a productive way. On the other hand, excessive reassurance seeking can lead to a painful cycle of stress and doubt. For individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), reassurance is fleeting and is quickly followed by a resurgence of perceived threat and a compelling drive to seek additional reassurance.
As an OCD and anxiety specialist, I am no stranger to reassurance traps. I see them in the patient who repeatedly consults doctors but never fully trusts their answers; the partner who keeps asking, “Do you still love me?” while scrutinizing every response; and the teenager who needs her homework checked repeatedly but does not learn to tolerate uncertainty. While the content of excessive reassurance seeking may vary, its function remains the same, relieving anxiety momentarily while allowing obsessions to rebound more strongly in the long run. In each example, we see an individual desperately trying to protect something they hold dear while being misled by one of OCD’s most convincing lines: “What if this time the reassurance sticks?”
Psychologists have long argued that excessive reassurance seeking helps maintain OCD, anxiety, and depression (Abramowitz et al., 2002; Burns et al., 2006). What is new is the landscape. Today, reassurance is available instantly and endlessly through search engines, medical websites, social media, and artificial intelligence tools. Emerging research suggests that online reassurance seeking may be as prevalent as interpersonal reassurance seeking (Parsons & Alden, 2022). These digital reassurance traps present in a variety of forms, including:
- Excessive symptom-checking on WebMD
- Checking a loved one’s location on Find My Friends to make sure they are still alive or where they promised they would be
- Asking Google Gemini whether an intrusive thought makes you a monster, a pedophile, or a bad Christian, Muslim, or Jew
- Analyzing the contents of a partner’s Instagram to see whether their feelings have changed
- Endlessly searching Reddit for answers to existential questions
- Obsessively checking likes and read receipts to monitor the durability of a relationship
- Finding creative ways to ask ChatGPT whether you might be responsible for spreading a virus or causing someone harm
- Compulsively checking the news to confirm whether a feared event has taken place
Why do some individuals seek reassurance primarily from others in face-to-face contexts while others turn to the internet? Findings from one study suggest that individuals may be more likely to seek interpersonal reassurance when they desire emotional support, whereas online reassurance seeking is more likely when individuals feel ashamed or fear judgment from others (Parsons et al., 2025). In the same study, shame was reported more frequently among individuals with OCD. The perceived anonymity of the internet creates a compelling environment for seeking reassurance about our most distressing fears and the fears we feel ashamed to have.
Wait, hold on… shouldn’t having access to all the information on the internet be empowering? After all, there’s that famous saying, “Knowledge is Power.” Well I’m not sure what Francis Bacon would say if he could scroll on TikTok, but in the age of the internet, more information does not always mean more power or knowledge. In fact, information overload seems to trigger excessive reassurance seeking online (Yang & Luo, 2024). Once digital algorithms detect health-related concerns, users may be exposed to increasingly frequent and targeted content, further amplifying health anxiety and driving additional reassurance seeking online (Zhang et al., 2024).
Despite these challenges, evidence-based treatments offer hope. Exposure and response prevention (ERP), the gold-standard treatment for OCD, helps individuals tolerate uncertainty and break free from compulsive behaviors. ERP therapists are prepared to respond to clients who compulsively seek reassurance while taking care to avoid reinforcing a client’s anxiety and setting boundaries when appropriate. On the other hand, AI chatbots are available 24/7 and will continue to reassure users when it would be clear to a skilled therapist that more reassurance is harmful. Some helpful activities I have encouraged clients to try include:
- Going for a walk and leaving your phone behind
- When you have the urge to seek reassurance, use a timer to delay. Start with 5 minutes and gradually increase the time as you go.
- Imaginal exposure: Writing out OCD’s worst case scenario while refraining from seeking reassurance.
- Embracing the uncertainty: When you have the urge to seek reassurance, lean into the uncertainty by responding “maybe that will happen, maybe not.”
- Watch a movie that triggers obsessions but leave your phone in the other room
- Try a fast from social media. Start with a short fast and increase the length of each fast as you gain confidence.
- Agreeing with the obsessions: Whatever your OCD throws at you, respond by saying “Sure, that is true!”
Clinicians working with youth should also attend to parental accommodations that inadvertently facilitate online reassurance seeking. Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE) is an evidence-based, parent-focused intervention that emphasizes increasing supportive statements while reducing unhelpful accommodations. Setting reasonable limits on smartphone use while responding with empathy and confidence can help youth build resilience and independence (i.e. “I know it’s tough to be away from your phone and I know you got this!”).
Finally, because shame plays a central role in digital reassurance traps, incorporating self-compassion practices may be beneficial. Compassion-focused exercises help individuals respond to their struggles with kindness rather than self-criticism, complementing ERP by fostering emotional resilience. I sometimes ask clients to imagine that a close friend or loved one is feeling ashamed because they are experiencing obsessions and are stuck in an OCD loop. Then, I invite them to write down how they would support this friend while paying special attention to how compassion feels in their body. By practicing compassion for others, we strengthen the same muscles in our brains that help us turn compassion inward.
If you are getting stuck in digital reassurance traps, you are not alone! Many of these technologies are brand new and we are learning how to integrate them into our lives in a healthy way. If you need help managing compulsive online habits, finding a therapist trained in ERP could be a useful step!
References
Abramowitz, J. S., Schwartz, S. A., & Whiteside, S. P. (2002). A contemporary conceptual model of hypochondriasis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings, 77(12), 1323–1330. https://doi.org/10.4065/77.12.1323
Burns, A. B., Brown, J. S., Plant, E. A., Sachs-Ericsson, N., & Joiner, T. E., Jr. (2006). On the specific depressotypic nature of excessive reassurance-seeking. Personality and Individual Differences, 40(1), 135–145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2005.05.019
Parsons, C. A., & Alden, L. E. (2022). Online reassurance-seeking and relationships with obsessive-compulsive symptoms, shame, and fear of self. Journal of Obsessive-Compulsive and Related Disorders, 33, 100714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jocrd.2022.100714
Parsons, C. A., Kim, H. J., Singh, S., Lkhagva, T., Wang, J., & Alden, L. E. (2025). Covert or connected: Motivations for online and interpersonal reassurance-seeking in OCD. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 115, 103057. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2025.103057
Yang, X., & Luo, X. (2024). Unpacking cyberchondria: The roles of online health information seeking, health information overload, and health misperceptions. Telematics and Informatics, 97, 102225.
Zhang, X., Zheng, H., Zeng, Y., Zou, J., & Zhao, L. (2024). Exploring how health-related advertising interference contributes to the development of cyberchondria: A stressor–strain–outcome approach. BMC Public Health, 24, 534.
Jordan Karr, PhD, is the owner of River Falls Therapy in Portland, OR. He is a licensed psychologist in Oregon and Virginia, and specializes in evidence-based therapies for OCD and anxiety disorders. Dr. Karr has experience working in outpatient, community-based, and school-based settings.
The post Digital Reassurance Seeking in OCD appeared first on International OCD Foundation.
Home Play-based Intervention for Parents and Infants
Conditions: Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Autism Spectrum Disorder; Premature Birth; Global Developmental Delay
Interventions: Behavioral: SPRINT Intervention; Other: Waitlist Protocol
Sponsors: Nanyang Technological University; Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital; Institute for Human Development and Potential (IHDP), Singapore
Not yet recruiting
Interventions: Behavioral: SPRINT Intervention; Other: Waitlist Protocol
Sponsors: Nanyang Technological University; Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR); KK Women’s and Children’s Hospital; Institute for Human Development and Potential (IHDP), Singapore
Not yet recruiting
Architecture-data matching for EEG-EMG decoding: compact deep models match classical spectral decoders on the WAY-EEG-GAL grasp-and-lift dataset
Modern deep learning has broadened the tools available for non-invasive neural decoding, but its advantage over well-engineered classical pipelines remains unclear at clinical neural-engineering sample sizes. We compared four classical decoders, three multilayer perceptron (MLP) variants, and three deep-learning architectures (an EEGNet-style compact convolutional network, a four-layer Transformer encoder trained from scratch, and a graph attention network) on the public WAY-EEG-GAL grasp-and-lift dataset (12 participants, 3,528 trials). Models were evaluated using leave-one-subject-out (LOSO) cross-validation to decode object weight (165, 330, and 660 g) and grasp-surface friction (sandpaper, suede, and silk). After Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (BH-FDR) correction within the primary/robustness family, none of the deep-versus-best-classical comparisons reached significance. The graph attention network led nominally on weight (0.643), and the compact convolutional network (CNN) led nominally on surface (0.565), but neither exceeded the best classical baselines (HGBM = 0.617 for weight; logistic regression = 0.562 for surface). Two-direction bandwidth controls showed that the nominal graph neural network (GNN) advantage on weight reflected access to higher-frequency electromyography (EMG) content rather than a robust architectural gain. The GNN weight signal was concentrated in the first 500 ms of sustained hold (0.639 early vs. 0.540 late, q = 0.007), whereas the compact CNN was comparatively robust to bandwidth and phase. A four-layer Transformer trained from scratch underperformed (q = 0.003 for both tasks), consistent with a parameter–data mismatch at n = 12. Modality ablation showed that both tasks were dominated by peripheral EMG features: electroencephalography (EEG)-only decoding was near chance for weight (0.34–0.37) and surface (0.36–0.38; all q < 0.0015 vs. EMG-only). EMG-only HGBM achieved the highest accuracy in the study (0.712 for weight and 0.584 for surface), and adding EEG channels reduced HGBM weight decoding (q = 0.007) and CNN surface decoding (q = 0.012). In contrast, the graph attention network was robust to EEG-induced fusion dilution (q > 0.5), consistent with attention-based down-weighting of low-information channels. Together, bandwidth, modality, phase, and conditioning controls indicate that, at clinical sample sizes, the critical design choice is not architectural complexity but modality-relevant channel selection and the ability to suppress low-information channels.
Integrating cognitive-behavioral training with immersive virtual reality intervention in ADHD: a case report
IntroductionAttention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition characterized by persistent patterns of inattention and/or hyperactivity-impulsivity. This case highlights the potential benefit of integrating Immersive Virtual Reality (IVR) with cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) in the rehabilitation of a child with ADHD. It contributes to emerging evidence by showing how a combined approach may simultaneously target executive, attentional, and motor domains within a single intervention.Case presentationAn 8-year-old child with deficits in sustained and selective attention, impaired executive functioning (including planning and working memory), impulsivity, and difficulties in motor regulation, as revealed during baseline assessments, impacting daily functioning. The patient was diagnosed with combined-type ADHD and underwent a 12-week CBT intervention, followed by integrated IVR-CBT intervention targeting executive functions and self-control, once a week for 12 weeks. The intervention was conducted using the CAREN (Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment), an immersive virtual reality platform integrating multisensory input and interactive tasks to promote cognitive and motor engagement. Post-intervention assessments showed improvements in sustained and selective attention, planning, working memory, and balance. There was also an increase in involvement and a reduction in impulsivity.ConclusionThe findings support the hypothesis that immersive, embodied interventions targeting both executive and sensorimotor processes may represent a promising novelty adjunctive rehabilitation approach. Further studies are needed to evaluate efficacy, generalizability, and to confirm these findings in larger samples. This case report was prepared in accordance with the CARE Guidelines.
Neural mechanisms underlying cognitive inflexibility in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a review
Cognitive inflexibility, a reduced capacity to shift mental set or update behavior when circumstances change, is a significant feature of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). However, while cognitive inflexibility is superficially a coherent entity, it appears to engage a range of distinct cognitive processes. This raises the question of how far deficits in different tasks involve the same core dysfunction and how far the dysfunctions are unique but superficially have similar results. Here we detail the neural basis of OCD deficits across eight tasks that challenge different aspects of cognitive flexibility: set-shifting (Wisconsin Card Sorting Task, Intra/Extra-Dimensional Set Shift), feedback adaptation (Reversal Learning), interference control (Stroop Color and Word Test), response inhibition (Go/No-Go Task and Stop Signal Task), working memory updating (n-back Task), and value-based flexibility (Delay Discounting Task). Cognitive inflexibility in OCD appears linked to functional abnormalities in a largely shared set of core structures (anterior cingulate cortex, caudate nucleus, orbital frontal cortex, and prefrontal cortex) and less shared ‘peripheral’ structures (putamen, thalamus, parietal cortex), based on cross-task convergence of OCD-specific abnormalities. Even the shared core appears to engage multiple interconnected neural networks. The cortico-striato-thalamo-cortical network appears central, and the salience network and the default mode network also contribute with indirect, task-varying effects on peripheral parts of each. Peripheral areas are less consistently involved but appear to contribute to OCD nonetheless. Cognitive inflexibility in OCD appears to involve failure of interaction between multiple networks rather than dysfunction in any single system.
Effects of exercise interventions on executive function in autism spectrum disorder: a three-level meta-analytic review
ObjectiveThis study aimed to use a three-level meta-analysis to examine the effects of exercise interventions on executive function (EF) in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and to explore the relationship between exercise dose and intervention effects through subgroup analyses.MethodsA systematic search was conducted in Web of Science, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library from database inception to November 17, 2025. All included studies were randomized controlled trials. A three-level random-effects model was applied to integrate multiple dependent effect sizes. Hedges’ g was used to calculate effect sizes, and negative values indicated improvements in EF following exercise interventions. Study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale, and publication bias was evaluated using Egger’s regression and the trim-and-fill method.ResultsSeventeen studies involving 626 participants were included. Exercise interventions produced a moderate and significant improvement in EF (g = –0.34, p < 0.0001) with low heterogeneity (Q = 50.42, p =0.268). Subgroup analyses showed that only intervention duration significantly moderated the effects, with programs lasting ≥10 weeks yielding the greatest benefits.ConclusionExercise interventions significantly improve EF in children and adolescents with ASD, with the largest effect sizes observed in interventions lasting ≥10 weeks. Further large-scale studies are needed to clarify dose–response relationships and inform optimal exercise prescriptions. This meta-analysis was designed and reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020) guidelines. Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD420251236112
Playing the Long Game for Youth Mental Health: A conversation with Grassroot Soccer on the power of sport and partnership
By Mai El Shoush, Partnership Campaign Manager, SNF Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute
Few events unite the world quite like the FIFA World Cup, demonstrating soccer’s unique ability to connect people across cultures and communities. As millions tune in, the moment offers a timely reminder on how sports can reach young people far beyond the field. This belief underpins the work of Grassroot Soccer, a valued partner of the SNF Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute. They utilize the power of soccer to advance youth mental health — and have reached more than 25 million young people around the world through this approach.
The partnership incorporates three interconnected areas:
- Building capacity for frontline workers
- Generating evidence
- Contributing to thought leadership on child and adolescent mental health in low-resource settings
The 2026 Men’s World Cup in North America and the upcoming 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil present an important opportunity for the organization to take its mental health programming from sub-Saharan Africa and adapt it to the U.S. context.
We spoke with Grassroot Soccer’s Mental Health Specialist Charmaine Nyakonda about the organization’s approach, the impact of their collaboration with SNF, and the growing role of sports in improving the mental health of young people and communities globally.
As international attention increasingly turns towards soccer’s global reach with the 2026 FIFA Men’s World Cup, what role can sports play in advancing youth mental health care across diverse communities?
Soccer is the most popular and accessible sport in the world. From the largest global stages like the World Cup to the most remote rural villages, it’s played everywhere on the planet. As the World Cup shows, soccer has the power to captivate across geographies, cultures, and time zones.
Soccer (and sport in general) is a powerful tool that teaches youth important life skills and character-building lessons like resiliency, hard work, courage, trust, and teamwork. On top of this, soccer’s universal appeal across diverse communities means using the language of the game can also be an effective way to break through the stigma around sensitive but pressing topics like mental health. This is why Grassroot Soccer uses soccer as a teaching tool for mental health.
Grassroot Soccer has successfully touched the lives of millions of young people across settings worldwide. What has the team learned about the universal role that sports can play in supporting mental health, resilience, and social connection?
Across our programs, soccer serves as a universal entry point that hooks young people and meets them where they are. From there, our play-based activities use soccer games and metaphors to make learning about mental health fun and engaging. They break down stigma and create safe spaces where young people can feel comfortable opening up and being vulnerable. This drives exceptional participation and completion rates.
Importantly, our signature soccer-based mental health promotion and prevention program, called MindSKILLZ, is guided by core mental health design principles. This includes grassroots co-creation, trauma-informed practice, relationship-centered delivery, and strengths-based learning — which ensures that programs are ethical, culturally grounded, and safe for adolescents in both stable and crisis-affected settings.
“Soccer (and sport in general) is a powerful tool that teaches youth important life skills and character-building lessons like resiliency, hard work, courage, trust, and teamwork.”
What elements of Grassroot Soccer’s approach do you believe could serve as a transferable blueprint for other organizations seeking to improve outcomes for young people in different sectors and communities?
Our commitment to co-design with young people: We believe that young people are the experts on their lives and needs, so we intentionally apply the principle of “Nothing about us without us” to our work. We put this into practice by engaging young people at every point in the program life cycle to ensure our work meets their needs, from design to implementation to evaluation.
In 2023, Grassroot Soccer officially launched a Youth Advisory Committee (YAC) composed of young leaders that serves as an internal advisory and advocacy body for the organization. The Committee consists of SKILLZ Coaches, Master Coaches, and trainers between the ages of 18 to 30 from the communities we serve.
Mental health integration: Mental health promotion and prevention must be woven into every service that young people access. Mental health is both a driver and an outcome of young people’s overall well-being. Unaddressed mental health challenges undermine progress in HIV, sexual and reproductive health, education, and other youth development areas. And those same factors profoundly shape young people’s mental health in return.
What has made the partnership with the SNF Global Center particularly valuable, and what role do cross-sector and multidisciplinary partnerships play in expanding support and opportunities for young people?
The diverse cultural perspectives from Greece, Brazil, the United States, and South Africa — and especially youth voices — have enriched our understanding of the barriers young people face, the values that motivate them, and the creative solutions they come up with when it comes to mental health.
We’ve also benefited tremendously from the scientific and clinical expertise at the SNF Global Center. We were able to co-develop an open-access, near-peer emotional support online training that aims to enhance the capacity of frontline workers to identify, refer, and support common mental health problems among children and adolescents. This is especially important in low-resource settings.
Additionally, through thought leadership and advocacy collaboration, this partnership has been valuable in contributing to an important shift in the global conversation to framing low-resource settings (the Global South) as sources of innovation that can positively impact the Global North.
Over the years, what has most reinforced your belief in the power of soccer to support youth mental health, and what examples best bring that impact to life?
We’ve seen a few powerful stories of impact in humanitarian settings, where the need for mental health care is at its greatest but resources are at its most limited.
For example, in 2024, relentless downpours following a tropical cyclone caused rivers in Malawi’s Nkhotakota and Karonga districts to overflow, leading to widespread flooding impacting over 150,000 people and forcing many displaced residents to seek refuge in makeshift internally displaced person (IDP) camps.
In the camps, people had no access to mental health and psychological support services or safe spaces, and youth were not attending school. The Malawi Ministry of Health identified a major gap in mental health support for adolescents and young people and called on Grassroot Soccer to deliver MindSKILLZ to respond to this need.
Grassroot Soccer’s response team focused heavily on play, coping skills development, and trauma-informed support, creating critical psychological and physical safe spaces for youth within the camp environment.
Looking ahead, how would you like to see the conversation evolve at the intersection of sports, youth well-being, and mental health?
Firstly, we would like to see the conversation move beyond asking whether adolescent girls and young women like to play sports and instead asking, “What can we unlock when they do?”
For too long, sports (and soccer in particular) have been understood as primarily a significant part of adolescent boys’ and young men’s lives only. That assumption has shaped who gets access, who feels welcome, and whose well-being is centered. Grassroot Soccer’s own programming challenges this directly — we have reached more adolescent girls than boys, and in doing so have created space for girls to reconstruct gendered ideas about soccer. The conversation on sports, youth, and mental health needs to evolve to view sports games like soccer as universal tools that can transcend gender norms, age, and socio-economic background to support young people.
At the same time, we want to see the conversation take adolescent boys’ mental health more seriously, not less. Qualitative insights from Grassroot Soccer show that rigid masculine norms remain a profound barrier for boys.
More broadly, we ultimately want to see the conversation shift from individual resilience to multi-systemic access and inclusive enabling environments. Young people need culturally grounded, safe environments that work for them — and include them in design and delivery to help them develop into healthy adults who carry that capacity forward.
What do you see as the greatest opportunities for the next generation of young people, and what must we do collectively to help make that future possible?
With the largest generation of adolescents coming of age, their ability to live healthy and productive lives will have a profound impact on not just their own life trajectories, but also on the world. Tackling critical global issues from poverty to climate change will require a generation of young people who are strong, healthy, and empowered — and their mental health is central to all this.
At Grassroot Soccer, we are committed to investing in youth mental health to realize a world where mental health challenges have been normalized. We want young people to understand their own mental health, have practical coping skills to deal with frustration and aggression, and recognize the value in seeking support from others. This will help develop a population with reduced symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as overall improved mental well-being. Then we can collectively realize our vision for a better future.
Through the SNF Global Center, the Child Mind Institute partners with organizations around the world to strengthen child and adolescent mental health systems by combining scientific expertise, local leadership, evidence-based innovation and youth voices. Grassroot Soccer is one example of how cross-sector partnerships can expand access to mental health support in communities where young people already learn, connect, and thrive.
The post Playing the Long Game for Youth Mental Health: A conversation with Grassroot Soccer on the power of sport and partnership appeared first on Child Mind Institute.