Who Can Judge Adolescent Wellbeing? A Qualitative Investigation
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Tamborine Gallery - In-Person Only
| Tuesday, March 25, 2025 |
| 11:05 AM - 11:25 AM |
Overview
Kirstie Northfield, Charles Sturt University
Presenter
Ms Kirstie Northfield
Phd Candidate
Charles Sturt University
Who Can Judge Adolescent Wellbeing? A Qualitative Investigation
Abstract
Referral services for adolescent wellbeing support is often guided by parent and teacher proxy judgements. The current project investigates who can make a reliable proxy judgement of wellbeing, by understanding with whom, when and how young people share their low feelings.
Method:
Given that adolescents are the experts in relation to their own wellbeing, qualitative, semi-structured, instant message interviews were conducted with 10 high-school students, aged between 14 and 17 years. Interview transcripts were examined using grounded theory, thematic analysis.
Findings:
Young people employ deliberate consideration and control over who and when to share their low feelings, both verbally and through nonverbal cues. They want to be heard without judgement or to be offered solutions.
Young people most often communicate their low feelings with friends, followed by Mum, and to a less degree dad. Teachers have access to ambiguous nonverbal cues; however, a verbal disclosure is unlikely.
Nonverbal cues of low wellbeing are ambiguous, resembling a tired, quiet, or disengaged young person. This presents a challenge in identifying low wellbeing in a quiet, introverted adolescent, who will look similar on a good and bad day.
Instant message interviews yield rich data when interviewing adolescents.
Conclusion:
This research highlights that friends who adolescents disclose with most often, are in the best position to make a proxy wellbeing judgement, followed by mum whom they will sometimes discuss feelings with, in spite of frustrations with her response. For dad and teachers, the complexities of the relationships are less clear, with each party receiving only ambiguous nonverbal cues in which to base their wellbeing judgements.
Four Key Learnings:
1. Young people are considered and control who they communicate their low wellbeing with
2. Non-verbal cues of low wellbeing are ambiguous and easily misinterpreted.
3. Quiet, introverted adolescents are harder to identify as having low wellbeing.
4. Instant messaging interviews yield rich data, when communicating with adolescents.
Method:
Given that adolescents are the experts in relation to their own wellbeing, qualitative, semi-structured, instant message interviews were conducted with 10 high-school students, aged between 14 and 17 years. Interview transcripts were examined using grounded theory, thematic analysis.
Findings:
Young people employ deliberate consideration and control over who and when to share their low feelings, both verbally and through nonverbal cues. They want to be heard without judgement or to be offered solutions.
Young people most often communicate their low feelings with friends, followed by Mum, and to a less degree dad. Teachers have access to ambiguous nonverbal cues; however, a verbal disclosure is unlikely.
Nonverbal cues of low wellbeing are ambiguous, resembling a tired, quiet, or disengaged young person. This presents a challenge in identifying low wellbeing in a quiet, introverted adolescent, who will look similar on a good and bad day.
Instant message interviews yield rich data when interviewing adolescents.
Conclusion:
This research highlights that friends who adolescents disclose with most often, are in the best position to make a proxy wellbeing judgement, followed by mum whom they will sometimes discuss feelings with, in spite of frustrations with her response. For dad and teachers, the complexities of the relationships are less clear, with each party receiving only ambiguous nonverbal cues in which to base their wellbeing judgements.
Four Key Learnings:
1. Young people are considered and control who they communicate their low wellbeing with
2. Non-verbal cues of low wellbeing are ambiguous and easily misinterpreted.
3. Quiet, introverted adolescents are harder to identify as having low wellbeing.
4. Instant messaging interviews yield rich data, when communicating with adolescents.
Biography
Kirstie Northfield, a researcher at the School of Psychology at Charles Sturt University, is dedicated to identifying who, besides adolescents themselves, can reliably assess the well-being of adolescents. Her research focuses on evaluating the accuracy of parents, teachers, and peers in making well-being support referrals and understanding the characteristics of a reliable judge of adolescent well-being. In addition to her research, Kirstie teaches positive psychology, emphasizing resilience and emotional intelligence. To maintain her own emotional balance, she enjoys running short distances, often using this activity to explore her favorite holiday destinations.
