Being There: How Young People's Friendships Play a Central Role in Mental Health Care
Tracks
Royal Poinciana Room
| Monday, March 20, 2023 |
| 1:35 PM - 1:55 PM |
Overview
Tom Riley, Batyr
Speaker
Tom Riley
Research And Policy Manager
batyr
Being There: How Young People's Friendships Play a Central Role in Mental Health Care
Abstract
The youth mental health crisis sparked by the pandemic has revealed significant barriers to young people receiving professional support. And while young people languish on waitlists for treatment, they continue turn to informal supports, and especially friends, for help through tough times. But the role that young friendships play in the ecosystem of mental health support is an under-examined area, impacted by narratives that minimise the importance and legitimacy of these supports.
Presenting research conducted as part of a multi-disciplinary collaboration between batyr, Western Sydney University and clinical psychologist Erin Dolan, the presentation will explore the central role that young people play in supporting each other through tough times. Utilising a mixed-methods design including five focus groups and a national survey (n=169) the research examined the degree to which young people are supporting their friends through tough times, the nature of that support and what can be done to enhance it.
The research findings show that young people provide significant and critical support to each other. Those surveyed estimated they spend on average 3.5 hours per week supporting their friends, with 94% reporting they had supported a friend through mental ill-health. Young people also reported providing personalised support to one another, which meant tailoring their support depending on factors such as the closeness of the friend, culture, the severity of their friends mental ill-health and their own emotional capacity. The ways in which young people supported each other were varied, and ranged from having fun and distraction, to regular intentional check-ins, to facilitating professional help-seeking, which included attending their friend's psychology appointments. Responsibility and self-care were also important considerations in supporting friends during tough times.
Recommendations for young people, clinicians and the mental health sector will be presented, including those suggested by young people themselves.
Presenting research conducted as part of a multi-disciplinary collaboration between batyr, Western Sydney University and clinical psychologist Erin Dolan, the presentation will explore the central role that young people play in supporting each other through tough times. Utilising a mixed-methods design including five focus groups and a national survey (n=169) the research examined the degree to which young people are supporting their friends through tough times, the nature of that support and what can be done to enhance it.
The research findings show that young people provide significant and critical support to each other. Those surveyed estimated they spend on average 3.5 hours per week supporting their friends, with 94% reporting they had supported a friend through mental ill-health. Young people also reported providing personalised support to one another, which meant tailoring their support depending on factors such as the closeness of the friend, culture, the severity of their friends mental ill-health and their own emotional capacity. The ways in which young people supported each other were varied, and ranged from having fun and distraction, to regular intentional check-ins, to facilitating professional help-seeking, which included attending their friend's psychology appointments. Responsibility and self-care were also important considerations in supporting friends during tough times.
Recommendations for young people, clinicians and the mental health sector will be presented, including those suggested by young people themselves.
Biography
Short - Tom Riley is the Research and Policy Manager at batyr, focusing on impact evaluation and delivery of a research and advocacy strategy that promotes the voices and experiences of young people.
Long - Tom Riley is the Research and Policy Manager at batyr, a youth-led preventative mental health organisation that centres lived-experience. Tom has worked at the intersection of youth mental health and technology with a focus on how we can leverage technology to improve mental health and wellbeing. Tom has also worked in designing and delivering lived-experience advocacy programs. In his current role at batyr Tom focuses on impact evaluation and delivery of a research and advocacy strategy that promotes the voices and experiences of young people.
