Perspectives of mental health diagnosis in young people
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Perspectives of mental health diagnosis in young people: a qualitative study with young people, primary caregivers and professionals.
IRAS ID
313691
Contact name
Jodie Natasha Gill
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of South Wales
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 8 months, 28 days
Research summary
Research Summary
This research aims to understand how a mental health diagnosis affects young people, their families, and clinicians. There has been much research that shows that a diagnosis is vital. However, there is also a lot of evidence which shows that people who have a mental health diagnosis feel they are treated poorly because of it. Some evidence suggests that having a diagnosis means people struggle to access necessary healthcare, and their quality of life suffers. Sometimes people report that the judgement they feel from their diagnosis extends to their family members and the professionals that treat them. Although, there is currently no research that shows how young people under the age of 18 feel when they receive their diagnosis.This study would like to focus on experiences from young people (ages 12 to under 18) diagnosed with a mental health condition. Participants will be recruited from Aneurin Bevan NHS Trust and divided into three groups: parents, young people, and professionals, to gain several perspectives of diagnosis in young people. All participants will need to have a current diagnosis, be the primary carer of a young person with a diagnosis, or provide diagnoses to young people. This study will use a purposive sampling technique to recruit up to 3 participants per group. Recruitment will be supported by a local collaborator who is known to the participants. Participants will be invited to participate in one interview that lasts between 40-60 minutes. Interviews will take place in the local CAMHS or online. The participants will be invited to openly discuss their views around mental health diagnoses in young people. The information will be transcribed and analysed using a method of analysis that attempts to understand how a person makes sense of their experience. This approach is called Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).
Summary of Results
Whilst results of the study are officially still pending, we have been able to establish the wide range of differing opinions between young people, caregivers and professionals. This suggests that a person-centred, individual approach to diagnosis is necessary for improved understanding and acceptance of diagnosis, and treatment of symptoms.REC name
Wales REC 4
REC reference
22/WA/0301
Date of REC Opinion
8 Nov 2022
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion