Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40399799›Full record

ArticleBMC psychiatry2025

My Story and Me: a narrative study of young women and girls' stories of their mental health and associated support.

Emily Stapley, Angelika Labno, Giulia Ravaccia, Maddison Crease, Jessica Deighton, Helen Brooks, Huong Le, Charli Atkinson-Ryan, Julian Edbrooke-Childs

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Article in BMC psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
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0citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors.

Emily StapleyEvidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud and University College London (UCL), 4-8 Rodney Street, London, N1 9 JH, England.
Angelika LabnoEvidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud and University College London (UCL), 4-8 Rodney Street, London, N1 9 JH, England.
Giulia RavacciaEvidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud and University College London (UCL), 4-8 Rodney Street, London, N1 9 JH, England.
Maddison CreaseAnna Freud, London, England.
Jessica DeightonEvidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud and University College London (UCL), 4-8 Rodney Street, London, N1 9 JH, England.
Helen BrooksThe University of Manchester, Manchester, England.
Huong LeCentre for Mental Health, London, England.
Charli Atkinson-RyanAnna Freud, London, England.
Julian Edbrooke-ChildsEvidence Based Practice Unit, Anna Freud and University College London (UCL), 4-8 Rodney Street, London, N1 9 JH, England. julian.childs@ucl.ac.uk.

Funding

Public Health Research Programme NIHR135162
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundRecent data in England show rising levels of mental health difficulties among young women, as compared to young men. Thus, the aim of this study was to explore the lived experiences of young women and girls (across different ethnic groups, who are neurodivergent, and/or who identify with the LGBTQIA + community) in the UK about their mental health and associated support.

methodNarrative interviews were conducted with 29 young women and girls aged 14 to 24 years. Using ideal-type analysis, a method for identifying broad patterns or 'types' within qualitative datasets, two typologies were developed to explore similarities and differences between participants' stories and delineate overarching narratives across stories.

resultsThe first typology was titled: 'What is my mental health story?' Three overarching types or narratives within the dataset were identified in terms of participants' mental health stories: 'Traumatic and impactful experiences'; 'Body-mind-society interaction'; and 'Prolonged distress and disruption'. The second typology was titled: 'How would I like to be supported in relation to my mental health?' Three overarching types or narratives were also identified in relation to participants' stories about how they would like to be supported with their mental health: 'Empathy, understanding, and connection'; 'Support from/for intersecting (overlapping) identities'; and 'Heard, seen, and accepted'.

conclusionsHearing from young women and girls, in their own words, about their mental health stories is crucial to optimise prevention and treatment efforts. Our findings show that a positive therapeutic relationship, supportive social relationships, feeling heard and accepted, and consideration of the multiple overlapping facets of one's identity are key mechanisms influencing the utility of support. Ultimately, mental health support should be individualised, consistent, and available.

Indexed as

Mental HealthNarrationSexual and Gender MinoritiesSocial SupportAdolescentEnglandFemaleHumansQualitative ResearchYoung AdultIdeal-type analysisMental healthNarrative analysisQualitative studySupportYoung women and girls

Identifiers

PMID40399799
PMCPMC12093786

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.