Strengthening Youth Voice: A Photovoice Project with Youth on Mental Health and Wellbeing

Background and Purpose: This study is part of a three-year community-based youth mental health project (YMHP) to engage youth, parents, and community partners in the development of user focused initiatives for the promotion and early intervention of mental health in Canada. The aim of this study was to elucidate youth perspectives, strengthening voice through the development of photo stories, identifying strengths, and highlighting and engendering resilience for participating youth, their families, and communities. Six photovoice groups with youth were conducted in a western Canadian province to gain an understanding of their perspectives on mental health and wellbeing. Our findings are important to our growing understanding of the challenges youth encountered during the pandemic.

Methods: A qualitative research paradigm, grounded within a Participatory Action Research (PAR) method has been operationalized to elucidate an understanding of YMH and wellbeing. Ranging in age from 12 to 17 years old, participants (n = 44) had engaged in one of six Photovoice Groups in a western Canadian province between 2021-2022. In this study of youth perspectives on mental health and wellbeing, youth participated in seven weekly group sessions where they engaged in discussions about YMH. Youth were provided cameras (or used their own cell phone) and tasked with taking photographs with the support of guided questions. The response to these guided questions and photos served as the focus (content) of this analysis. Two research team members undertook to analyze the data. Operationalizing a process of latent content analysis, our coding frame involved abstracting and conceptualizing the meaning of each individual photo into codes and then categories. The categories in the content analysis were developed inductively through an iterative process, where the coding frame was continuously revised as we examined new data (photos) for meaning. In this inductive approach, themes have been created from the categories.

Results: Five key themes emerged from the content analysis, including relational and community connectedness; ways of coping to support mental health and wellbeing; growth in the face of challenges and adversity; sense of self, maintaining balance and embracing calmness; and embracing diversity. These themes are presented with supporting photographs and participant quotes.

Conclusions and Implications: The results of this study provide valuable insights into some of the perspectives youth have regarding mental health and wellbeing. Specifically, the youth revealed some of the challenges for young people, ideas grounded in ways to help create positive mental health, and insights about what might help support positive, inclusive wellbeing in our communities. These insights and perspectives can aid forward movement in grounding strategies, policies, and approaches to supporting our youth, their families, and communities more broadly in addressing issues of mental health and wellbeing.