Thirteenth International Conference on Interdisciplinary Social Sciences

Abstract

Contemporary public health research has suggested that focusing on understanding the context and social systems into which interventions are introduced might be one way to improve programme effectiveness and sustainability (e.g. Moore and Evans, 2017; Moore et al., 2015; Hawe et al. 2009). This research also expresses that stakeholder engagement in the development of interventions is a crucial element in this process. This project therefore explores key education and health stakeholders’ perspectives on mental health interventions in Welsh primary schools. This study also has an interdisciplinary methodological focus, drawing on concepts and methods from sociology, psychology, education and public health, looking to advance the literature on how best to devise appropriate ways of engaging primary school pupils in research and programme development. Visual workshops with 9-11 year old pupils were conducted as part of the wider research. The lead researcher developed a brain mapping activity based on the body mapping approach used in physical health fields, used to explore primary school pupils’ constructions of their own biological, psychological and socio-environmental determinants of mental health. A circle ranking technique was also used to explore child stakeholder perspectives on school-based interventions: pupils used this to rank their ideas and opinions of school approaches to mental health and wellbeing. These activities were evaluated both in workshops and using anonymous forms. This presentation reflects on the applicability of these activities for co-productive work with child stakeholders in interdisciplinary research and concludes that the evaluations indicate that the above methods are developmentally appropriate and engaging.