Psychiatric News (11/4) reports a study found that “more than a third of middle school students have used technology-facilitated reporting systems (TFRS),” including apps, websites, and texts, to confidentially “report concerns about friends who are in distress.” The researchers “found that 80.7% of the youth reported their concern about their peer’s distress, with 37.3% using a TFRS to do so. Youth were more likely to use a TFRS when they perceived lower levels of trust in traditional school-based figures. However, the appeal of TFRS was not purely about discretion, as youth who made use of TFRS were also highly likely to voice their concerns to a parent, friend or classmate, or trusted adult not affiliated with the school.” The study was published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.
Related Links:
— “More Than a Third of Middle Schoolers Turn to Technology for Reporting Peers in Distress, Psychiatric News, November 4, 2025