What narratives do young people use to communicate depression? A systematic review of the literature

ABSTRACT

Mental health difficulties amongst children and young people increasingly dominate the British government agenda. Despite the 2014 Special Educational Needs and Disability Code of Practice extending statutory provision up to the age of 25, the mental health needs of older young people are often overlooked in educational guidance. For many young people, the impact of depression has wide ranging social and economic implications; therefore it is important to enable early identification and intervention. Understanding self-report processes may be one way of enabling this. From this perspective, the present review aimed to investigate what narratives young people use to communicate depression. Eight studies were identified and assessed using qualitative and quantitative frameworks, and reported using PRISMA guidelines. Findings provide useful information about issues, methods and processes in communicating depression as well as perceptions about effective support. Implications for future research and practice are considered in light of these findings.

KEYWORDS:

• Young people
• depression
• communicating
• narratives
• systematic-review

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Geolocation information

Keywords have been selected which are relevant to the article and to searches undertaken within this study. Author ORCID identifiers have been included.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed here.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the England’s Department for Education (DfE) National College of Teaching and Learning (NCTL) ITEP award 2014-2017.

Notes on contributors

Dorota Martin

Dorota Martin is an educational and child psychologist working for Kirklees Educational Psychology Service, UK. Previously Dorota was a doctoral student at the University of Manchester.  Her research interests include child and adolescent mental health, therapeutic interventions and person-centred approaches.

Cathy Atkinson

Cathy Atkinson is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Manchester and Curriculum Director of the Doctorate in Educational and Child Psychology programme. She is also a Health and Professions Council registered practitioner educational psychologist. Research interests include motivational interviewing and therapeutic approaches; and promoting children’s mental health and right to play.