Investigating the (Cost-)Effectiveness of an Online Social Therapy Platform (ENYOY) for Young People Aged 16-25 on Mental Healthcare Waiting Lists

This study, run by Amsterdam UMC in the Netherlands, looks at whether an online mental health platform called ENYOY can help reduce psychological distress in young people aged 16 to 25 who are waiting for mental health care. Young people can take part if they are experiencing mental health problems and are currently on a waiting list for mental health care. The study lasts 12 months. During this time, participants complete questionnaires four times: at the start of the study and after 3, 6, and 12 months. After joining the study, participants are randomly placed into one of two groups: * Intervention group: receives access to the ENYOY platform plus care as usual. * Control group: receives care as usual. Young people in the intervention group can use the platform for the duration of the study, with three months of guidance from a coach and/or a peer with lived experience with mental health problems. The platform includes activities based on proven psychological methods. These activities help with issues such as low mood, anxiety, sleep problems, and low confidence. Participants also have access to a safe online community where young people can talk, share experiences, and support each other. The community is moderated to keep it safe and supportive. Taking part may help reduce psychological distress and improve participants' mental health. There are no known risks associated with taking part in this study. Participant recruitment will take place from May 2026 to December 2027. Final follow-up assessments are expected to be completed by December 2028. The study is funded by ZonMw. For questions, you can contact Sascha Struijs (s.y.struijs@vu.nl) or Fenna Hellegers (f.hellegers@amsterdamumc.nl).

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 16-25 years * On a waiting list for mental healthcare. * Able and willing to consent. * A score of 10 or higher on the CORE-10 questionnaire. * Personal and private access to a computer, smartphone or tablet. * Ability and willingness to nominate an emergency contact person, such as a close family member. Exclusion Criteria: * Insufficient command of the Dutch language. * Present with acute suicidal behavior or imminent risk of harm to self. * If their psychiatric symptoms are due to an organic cause. * Prior exposure to ENYOY or MOST.