Doing Mental Health Research with Children and Adolescents

Michelle O’Reilly (BSc [hons], MSc, MA, PhD, PGCAPHE) is an Associate Professor of Communication in Mental Health at the University of Leicester and a Research Consultant for Leicestershire Partnership NHS Trust. Michelle is also a Chartered Psychologist in Health. Michelle has specific interest in child and adolescent mental health and has been investigating the relationship between mental health and social media as part of that work. Michelle has made several media contributions about the research with adolescents, educationalists, and parents, as funded by the Wellcome Trust. Additional to her research interests in mental health and social media, Michelle also undertakes research in self-harm and suicidal behaviour, neurodevelopmental conditions, and child mental health services, such as mental health assessments and family therapy. Michelle recently won the Anselm Strauss Award for Qualitative Family Research for her co-authored contribution on discursive psychology in this area. Michelle has expertise in qualitative methodologies and specialises in discursive psychology and conversation analysis.  Dr Nikki Kiyimba is a Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for the Msc in Therapeutic Practice for Psychological Trauma at Chester University UK, and also works as a Chartered Clinical Psychologist for Cheshire and Wirral Partnership NHS Trust. Clinically, Nikki works with a range of clients presenting with severe and enduring psychological difficulties. Nikki’s research interests are mainly in the areas of qualitative methods and therapeutic approaches. She is also interested in the impact of trauma and vicarious trauma. Grounded in a social constructionist epistemological perspective, she has a particular interest in qualitative research, and her analytic specialism is in using discursive approaches. Nikki has also recently co-authored the book ‘Doing Mental Health Research with Children and Adolescents: A Guide to Qualitative Methods’ (Sage).

I welcome such an excellent text. It is a goldmine of clear information, relevant guidance and resources. So many ‘how to do research’ textbooks can be dense and discouraging to read, not so with this one. Doing Mental Health Research with Children and Adolescents: A Guide to Qualitative Methods is different and fully explains what it sets out to do in a way which is easy to read and understand. I predict it will be a valuable text for both students, academics, research assistants and clinicians. It also de-mystifies ‘research’ in an approachable inviting fashion. It will encourage potential researchers to engage with the process and we most definitely need more qualitative research that puts children and their voices at the heart of the process. For those feeling cautious about research courage is given with the use of the authors’ personal experiences and reflections on embarking on research which was very useful. The authors take the reader/researcher through a step by step guide of quite complex concepts in a thoroughly thought out way. Chapters are well structured with learning outcomes at the outset, Activities are demonstrated throughout chapters and concise concluding comments at the close. I shall be recommending this text to my students!

• Theory and backgroundTheory and Utility of Qualitative ResearchThe Need for Qualitative EvidenceClinical and Research RolesGetting StartedPlanning a Child Focussed ProjectRecruitment and CommunicationThe Research SettingData CollectionQuestionnaires, Observations and EthnographyInterviews and Focus GroupsNaturally-Occuring DataInternet MethodsRecording and TranscriptionAnalysis and Writing UpData AnalysisReflective Practice to Reflexive ResearchDissemination