Mental health difficulties and risky alcohol use in young people.
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Qualitative formative research to inform development of a family-involved intervention to prevent risky alcohol use and co-existing mental health difficulties in young people aged 12-17.
IRAS ID
213828
Contact name
Emma Geijer-Simpson
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Newcastle University
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Childhood is often a time when people first experience mental health problems and substance use problems including alcohol use. Young people don’t often experience these separately, up to three quarters of young people that take substances, such as alcohol, also experience mental health difficulties. Young people who struggle with both mental health difficulties and alcohol use have increased challenges and more severe symptoms than those who only experience one of these difficulties.
Although research has shown how often young people experience both of these difficulties at the same time not many interventions exist that target these two together. The few that do exist have been developed in the United States. therefore there is a need to address this gap. Evidence suggests that rather than providing treatment there is a need to prevent these from occurring which is in line with the public health approach. Furthermore involving the family in an intervention has been found to be more effective that only targeting the child.
This study will therefore aim to develop an early intervention involving the family to reduce risky alcohol use and mental health difficulties in young people aged 12-17. This will be achieved through carrying out a systematic review of existing early interventions involving the family and exploring the issues experienced and the needs of young people experiencing these difficulties and their families through interviews as suggested by the Medical Research Council. This is important as interventions need to be informed by the end users. Finally these findings will be combined to form the basis for discussions in workshops to develop the early design of the intervention which can help inform policy and practice.
REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/WM/0454
Date of REC Opinion
5 Dec 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion