Background: Poor sleep is a common problem in adolescents age 14-18. Difficulties with sleep have been found to have a bidirectional link to mental health problems.

Objective: This new research sought to involve young people in the co-creation of a new app, particularly those from under-served communities. The Sleep Solved app uses science-based advice to improve sleep-related behaviours and wellbeing. The app was developed using the Person-Based Approach, underpinned by Bandura’s social cognitive theory [1], and the social-ecological model of sleep health [2]. 

Methods: Young people (14-18 years) were recruited from across the UK to contribute to PPI activities. In partnership with our Peer Researcher (MJ), we used a multitude of methods to engage with PPI contributors, including online workshops, surveys, think-aloud interviews, focus groups and app beta testing. 

Results: A total of 85 young people provided PPI feedback; 54 young women, 27 young men, 2 genderfluid people, 1 nonbinary person, 1 ‘prefer not to say’. Levels of deprivation ranged from the 40% most deprived, to the 20% least deprived. The majority had self-identified sleep problems ranging from 2-3 times per week, to more than 4 times per week. Attitudes towards the app were positive, with praise for its usability and use of science-based yet accessible information. Think-aloud interviews and a focus group identified a range of elements that may influence the use of the app, including the need to pay attention to language choices and readability. User experiences in the form of narrated audio clips were used to normalize sleep problems and provide examples of how the app had helped them.

Conclusions: Young people were interested to use an app to better support their sleep and mental health. The app was co-created with strong links to theory and evidence-based sleep hygiene behaviours. Future work to establish the effectiveness of the intervention, perhaps in a RCT, would enable support for potential UK-wide rollout.