{"id":9,"date":"2025-04-30T15:55:22","date_gmt":"2025-04-30T14:55:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/psyc.bbk.ac.uk\/adolescentgirl\/?page_id=9"},"modified":"2025-05-02T14:57:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-02T13:57:25","slug":"home","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/psyc.bbk.ac.uk\/adolescentgirl\/","title":{"rendered":"Using video diaries, IPA and film to understand adolescent girls\u2019 daily pressures and self-management strategies"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cEverything\u2019s kind of moving so fast and I\u2019m just not moving at the pace everyone is moving\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI\u2019m not even an individual, I\u2019m just a teen who\u2019s at school\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cEven after a day of revision, a day of school, a day of revision after school, I still feel like I\u2019ve done nothing\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI take like an hour to get ready, but it just sort of helps me get ready for the day\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cI feel like it\u2019s a secret weapon or something. Someone could make me feel in a bad mood \u2028and I\u2019ll just go to the gym. I\u2019ll be fine afterwards\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cWhen I need to talk, they\u2019re always there. When I\u2019m not having a good day, they understand it\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>

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Project overview<\/h2><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Using video diaries, Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) and film, the project adopted an interdisciplinary approach to explore the everyday lives of adolescent girls. It piloted an innovative method for capturing and communicating what matters most to adolescents from their own perspective, and sharing these insights with broader audiences – including young people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aims<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The project aimed to capture the everyday lives of adolescent girls, with a particular focus on the difficulties they face and what they find helpful. A key objective was to empower young people to shape the research focus by identifying what matters most to them. In addition, the project sought to provide young people with the opportunity to create films that offer insight into their everyday experiences from their own perspective. goes here<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why is this important<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Evidence indicates that adolescent girls are facing increasing challenges in their everyday lives. Research shows that girls report lower levels of positive mental health and wellbeing compared to boys, and these levels appear to be in decline. Similarly, mental health difficulties appear to be increasing in young people, with girls more likely to experience an emotional disorder or episode of depression than boys. In support of prevention efforts and to promote healthy functioning, it is essential to deepen our understanding of adolescent girls\u2019 everyday experiences, particularly through approaches that access young people\u2019s own perspectives on what matters most to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Methodological approach<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The project combined video diary and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) methods to capture everyday routine experiences\u2014those that may be overlooked, taken for granted, or difficult to articulate in interviews alone, yet are central to participants\u2019 lived worlds. This methodological approach enhanced the participatory nature of the research by allowing adolescent girls to shape the focus of the inquiry, thereby helping to address traditional power imbalances between adult researchers and youth participants. In addition, these methods were integrated with film techniques from the creative arts, expanding the expressive possibilities for participants and enabling a richer and more accessible form of dissemination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The research team<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Principal Investigator: Dr Joanna Farr \u2013 Lecturer of Psychology, Birkbeck University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Filmmaker: Dr Bartek Dziadosz \u2013 Director of Derek Jarman Lab, Birkbeck University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researcher: Dr Rachel Staff \u2013 Doctoral researcher, Birkbeck University<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lived experience advisor: Minnie Offord-Aresti<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Publications and Events<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

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The Film \u2013 Dear Video Diary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

All participants were invited to create an individual film from their video diaries and to contribute their work to a compilation film that brings together their shared experiences<\/p>\n\n\n\n