Mental health, cyberbullying, and digital help-seeking among neurodivergent young people: Secondary analysis of the Youth Wellbeing NI survey

Introduction

Neurodivergent young people experience disproportionately high rates of mental health challenges, including higher rates of anxiety and depression, while also facing greater barriers to traditional mental health support. As digital mental health interventions become increasingly explored and embedded within youth mental health services, it is critical to understand how neurodivergent young people are affected and how they engage with digital resources. This study examines mental health outcomes, online victimisation, and digital help-seeking behaviours among neurodivergent young people compared to their neurotypical peers, using a large-scale dataset.

Methods

This secondary analysis used data from the Youth Wellbeing NI Survey (N=1,299), a stratified random probability household survey funded by the Department of Health NI, commissioned by the Health and Social Care Board (HSCB) NI, and conducted by a research consortium from Ulster University, Queen's University Belfast, and the Mental Health Foundation.Participants self-reported diagnoses of ADHD, autism, and dyslexia, enabling categorisation into neurodivergent (ND) and neurotypical (NT) groups. Of the 1,299 participants, 1,157 were classified as neurotypical (NT) and 142 as neurodivergent (ND), meaning the ND group comprised only 10.93% of the dataset. While meaningful comparisons can still be made, this moderate imbalance in sample size may limit the generalisability of findings, which will be acknowledged as a limitation of the study.Mental health was assessed using the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) and the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). Cyberbullying experiences and digital help-seeking behaviours were also examined. Chi-square tests and independent t-tests were conducted in SPSS to compare ND and NT groups.

Results

Neurodivergent young people had significantly higher levels of anxiety and depression (p < 0.001) compared to their neurotypical peers. Suicidal ideation was also significantly more prevalent among ND youth (p = 0.001), highlighting a critical need for targeted intervention.In addition to mental health difficulties, ND young people were significantly more likely to be classed as victims of cyberbullying (p = 0.036), suggesting heightened vulnerability to online harassment.

Despite these challenges, ND young people were significantly more likely to engage in digital help-seeking (p = 0.004), particularly through internet-based models. However, they were no more likely to use telephone helplines (p = 0.110), indicating a clear preference for text-based, asynchronous, or self-guided digital support over real-time verbal communication.

Conclusions

These findings highlight an urgent need for neurodivergent-informed digital mental health interventions. ND young people experience disproportionately high rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and cyberbullying victimisation, yet they display a strong inclination towards online help-seeking, more so than their neurotypical counterparts. This stresses the need for tailored, accessible, and flexible digital interventions that accommodate neurodivergent communication styles, cognitive needs, and sensory preferences.As mental health services increasingly integrate AI-driven therapy, digital support, and app-based interventions, this research reinforces the critical importance of co-designing digital mental health supports that prioritise inclusivity and usability. The findings have direct implications for policymakers, clinicians, and technology developers working at the intersection of neurodiversity and digital mental health.