The COVID-19 pandemic negatively affected sexual and reproductive health and rights (SRHR) and increased unwanted pregnancies among young people, yet scant evidence documents SRH service-access trajectories and experiences of young people living with HIV during this time. We conducted a remote study, comprised of qualitative Facebook and telephonic data collection with adolescents living with HIV and young parents in South Africa (n = 41, ages 16-29) in 2020/2021. Following this, we conducted in-depth research through calls, WhatsApp and Facebook to explore narratives of two young people living with perinatally-acquired HIV who accessed SRH services and became parents during COVID-19 lockdowns. We engage a narrative approach to illustrate the trajectories of these two young people - documenting their biopsychosocial lives and experiences accessing SRH services - with attention to personal, structural and relational factors. Findings illustrate their agency while detailing gaps in provisions that significantly affected their health and well-being. This study applies practice theory, exploring how gendered, relational, social and geographic factors shaped young people's experiences and SRH. Despite being well-acquainted with the biomedical technologies and relationships governing their care, they struggled to navigate an altered health landscape. Findings document how they were subject to narratives of individual responsibility for their SRH amidst system-level shortcomings. Results highlight significant gaps in service provision and an imperative to enhance the material conditions for young parents living with HIV in South Africa. They underscore the need for resilient, shock-responsive health and social protection systems to maintain continuous SRH services for adolescents living with HIV during crises.

This study explores the narrated lived experiences of Military-Connected Children and Young People (MCCYP) in Denmark and examines the relationship between Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs), particularly in the context of parental combat-related PTSD within their told stories. Using content analysis, interview data was re-analysed using the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and Benevolent Childhood Experiences (BCEs) questionnaires to identify ACEs and BCEs within the captured narrative data. The initial study where the data was captured examined military children’s experiences and the impact of a five-day residential camp on well-being, resilience, and self-esteem, based on co-constructed meaning between participants and researchers, with ethical approval ensuring parental consent and participant assent. Ten young people (aged 12–19, mean = 15.00, SD = 2.54) attended the Denmark-based camp run by Støt Soldater & Pårørende (SSOP), a charity supporting children of veterans. Six were female, four males, and all had at least one parent with a self-reported PTSD diagnosis. The findings show that most participants (nine out of ten) had a parent with PTSD, leading to an average ACE score of 2.7. These challenges included physical or emotional abuse, living with a parents who has poor mental health, witnessing domestic violence and having a parent abuse substances. Despite these challenges, all participants reported key protective factors, contributing to an average BCEs score of 4. The protective factors included feeling safe with a caregiver, having external support, and experiencing home stability. The study discusses the implications for clinical practice, proposing the ICE (Identify, Connect, Engage) model for Trauma-Informed Care (TIC), which focuses on early identification of adversities, building trust through compassionate connection, and involving MCCYP in decision-making. The study underscores the importance of letting stories breathe to considering both the adversities and resilience factors in MCCYP narratives, advocating for a holistic, child-centred approach to supporting their health and well-being.

The stakes of stimulant use, psychosis, and antipsychotic treatment among youth who use drugs: A longitudinal qualitative study.

Social media platforms are increasingly saturated with alcohol-related user-generated content (UGC), which can shape young people’s attitudes and behaviours towards drinking. While all young people are potentially influenced by this content, certain groups, such as Aboriginal young people; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or other sexual and gender minorities (LGBTQ+) young people; and those living in regional areas, experience disproportionate alcohol-related harms and may have unique experiences with alcohol-related UGC. However, research examining these diverse perspectives remains limited. This qualitative study explored perspectives of Aboriginal, LGBTQ+, and regional young people (aged 16–20) regarding alcohol-related social media practices through semi-structured interviews (n = 24). Reflexive thematic analysis was applied, with four overarching themes constructed from the data: (i) participants described alcohol posting as performative practice tied to sociability, identity, and peer influence; (ii) social media posts and digital amplification were seen to embed binge drinking culture within youth identity; (iii) Aboriginal, LGBTQ+, and regional participants reported distinct responses to alcohol UGC, with experiences shaped by stereotyping, safety concerns, and permissive environments; (iv) influencer-generated content was viewed as highly pervasive and many participants expressed scepticism at its authenticity. Policy action is needed to protect young people from the harms associated with online alcohol promotion and must recognize the intersectional experiences of young people from Aboriginal, LGBTQ+ and regional communities.

Abstract Many mental health difficulties first emerge in adolescence and can have lasting impacts on later-life outcomes. In this paper, we focus on young people’s mental health difficulties, as measured by the internalising and externalising difficulties subscales of the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Using data from two cohorts of Growing Up in Ireland (GUI), we use group-based modelling techniques to examine how internalising and externalising difficulties evolve between the ages of 3 and 13 for the ’08 Cohort, and between the ages of 9 and 17 for the ’98 Cohort. We also focus on the key transition point of age 9 to 13, contrasting the experiences of young people from the two cohorts, born 10 years apart. The results indicate that most young people in Ireland display low levels of mental health difficulties, but that there is considerable change over time, and some young people experience persistently high levels of mental health difficulties. Consistent with prior research, girls display higher rates of internalising difficulties, while boys display higher rates of externalising difficulties. When comparing these difficulties across both cohorts between the ages of 9 and 13, we find an increase in internalising difficulties (most pronounced among girls) for the ’08 Cohort, in contrast to a decline between these ages for the ’98 Cohort. As further waves of the ’08 Cohort become available, it will be important to determine whether this reflects an earlier increase in young people’s internalising difficulties which continues beyond the age of 13, or whether this stabilises or possibly declines. The findings add to the emerging literature on how young people’s mental health difficulties vary by age and gender, and how internalising difficulties in particular have increased in recent times.

ABSTRACT Despite decades of advocacy for inclusive physical education (PE), and renewed national and international attention to inclusion, research regarding inclusive school sport has been largely limited. Addressing this gap, this research critically examines the state of inclusive school sport provisions for disabled young people in the United Kingdom (UK). Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu’s conceptual tools of habitus, capital, and field, the research explores the perspectives of eleven (n = 11) adult stakeholders involved in school and community-based inclusive school sport provisions. Using a qualitative interpretivist research design, data was generated through focus groups and interviews and analysed via reflexive thematic analysis. Findings reveal that opportunities for inclusive school sport are disproportionately dependent on the presence and power of ‘inclusive champions’, individuals with a favourable habitus towards inclusion. However, these efforts are constrained by systemic issues, including underfunding, limited training, cultural devaluation of inclusive sport, and tension in stakeholder responsibilities. The research highlights the precarious nature of inclusive provision and calls for systemic reform and sustainable infrastructure to move beyond tokenistic inclusion and ensure equitable, meaningful sport experiences for all disabled young people.

Young people face persistent challenges in accessing mental health and substance use health (MHSU) services, which have been further complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic, and are particularly pronounced among marginalized populations. We sought to understand how young people navigate MHSU services since the pandemic, focusing on their awareness of and access to care. Our project uses participatory research approaches and is comprised of two phases. This manuscript describes Phase 1, where five young people participated as research partners, informing study design and implementation. We conducted five virtual focus groups with a larger sample of young people from Ontario with MHSU lived experience, prioritizing participants from underrepresented communities. Focus groups explored their service awareness, access experiences, and improvement suggestions. Discussions were audio-recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Phase 2 will involve co-designing resources for young people based on Phase 1 findings. Our analysis of forty participants identified six interconnected domain themes (relationships and guidance, preferences and choice, convenience, self-directed information seeking, established sources, and system constraints), and fifteen sub-themes, spanning three dimensions of MHSU services (awareness, access, and improvements). We found that young people relied on informal networks (family/friends) and healthcare providers for MHSU service information and access, with trust being essential. They desired both choice in their provider and delivery method, plus the ability to research options independently before making decisions with others. While they primarily got service information from healthcare providers, online platforms, and community organizations, finding comprehensive, reliable information remained challenging. Barriers such as costs, wait times, location, and discrimination highlighted the need for affordable, accessible, and culturally responsive care to meet their diverse needs. This study revealed key insights about post-pandemic MHSU service awareness and access for young people. Participants demonstrated desires for both autonomy in service selection and guidance from trusted sources, suggesting a supported decision-making model. Recommended service improvements include centralized information resources, stronger informal referral networks, culturally responsive services and flexible delivery options. Partnership with young people throughout the research process yielded valuable perspectives that enhanced study validity. These findings will inform Phase 2-the co-design of resources addressing the information gaps and structural barriers identified by participants.

The transition from childhood to adulthood is a phase during which a young person needs support and guidance from their immediate surroundings. The need for help and support becomes even more significant if the adolescent has faced traumatic experiences or psychological challenges in childhood. This article examines the role of aftercare in supporting the transition to independence and adulthood for those young people who have been placed under child protection and have required psychiatric support. The article is based on qualitative narrative interview data collected in 2021-2022. We examine the role of aftercare in supporting young people as they begin their independent lives after placement in foster care, and identify key factors from the perspective of young people's experiences that contribute to effective aftercare. The study's findings highlight factors related to the skills and competencies of the workers, the structures of service implementation, and the forms of support offered, all of which affect the effectiveness of aftercare from the young people's perspective. The most crucial factors for effective aftercare identified in the study include the stability of workers, the atmosphere of interactions, the professional competence of the workers, and the possibility of receiving concrete help and support.

BackgroundVoice-hearing is increasingly being recognised as a transdiagnostic experience which is common for children and adolescents. However, little is known about how young people seek help and disclose voice-hearing within mental health services.MethodThis qualitative study explored the disclosure and help-seeking experiences of nine young people (aged 14-18) receiving care from mental health services in the UK. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis within a critical realist framework.ResultsTwo superordinate themes were identified: barriers to accessing help; facilitators to accessing help; and the impact of practitioner response on young people's engagement. Stigma, long waiting lists for services, and practitioners' lack of knowledge often acted as barriers to disclosure and help-seeking, whereas trust and clear communication facilitated disclosure and engagement. Participants often wished to be listened to, to be offered a more personalised approach and greater flexibility from mental health services. When practitioners demonstrated empathy and allowed trust to build in the therapeutic relationship, participants felt valued.ConclusionsFindings suggest that practitioners might need to be supported to build confidence in discussing voice-hearing with young people to facilitate therapeutic conversations about these experiences, and that offering flexible, person-centred support may support young people's engagement with mental health services.

Adolescent substance use is a rising public health concern in Ghana, with limited evidence on youth perspectives regarding service availability and access. This study explores the adolescents' perspectives on the barriers to accessing substance use services in Northern Ghana. A qualitative exploratory design was employed. This study was conducted in public senior high school in the Bolgatanga Municipality of the Upper East Region of Ghana. Fifteen students aged 12 to 19 years were purposively selected with diversity in age, sex, religion, and residency status. Data were collected through in-depth interviews and analyzed thematically using Braun and Clarke's framework. Trustworthiness was ensured through member checking, peer debriefing, and audit trails. The study identified several barriers grouped under four themes as follows: stigma, fear and confidentiality concerns, accessibility and affordability challenges, service relevance and adolescent-focused, and peer factors. This study found that adolescents in Northern Ghana face significant barriers to substance abuse service use, shaped by four key themes: stigma and confidentiality concerns, accessibility and affordability challenges, lack of adolescent-friendly services, and peer influence. These barriers, rooted in systemic, structural, and sociocultural contexts, foster mistrust, limit access, and discourage help-seeking. Addressing them requires adolescent-responsive interventions that prioritize confidentiality, affordability, accessibility, and supportive care aligned with young people's lived experiences.

ABSTRACT Research studies have repeatedly reported the under-representation of rural youth in higher education, mainly focusing on their aspirations as well as opportunities and barriers to accessing university pathways. Less attention has been placed on the experiences of rural young people transitioning through higher education. In this article, we explore working-class rural youth experiences of belonging, recognition and social disrespect in a metropolitan university. Empirically, we draw on data from semi-structured interviews with rural young people attending university and living on campus. Conceptually, we draw on Axel Honneth's third form of recognition, esteem and solidarity, to examine how youth from rural and working-class backgrounds form a sense of belonging and struggle for recognition with other students and the institution. Our data shows that participants experienced social misrecognition and disrespect due to their social class and rural background. Participants negotiate feelings of exclusion and misrecognition by forming friendships and intra-solidarity with other like-minded rural and regional students. While this can be a first step to the construction of a form of belonging, we argue that the disrespect, misrecognition and external judgements of worth from others hindered rural youth's sense of belonging and recognition at university and their potential for self-realization.

IntroductionA strong body of evidence exists relating to inequality in general healthcare experience and outcomes for children and young people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic compared to those without. Healthcare practitioners describe feeling less capable and confident to deliver care to children with learning disabilities, as well as having less capacity. However, there is little research specifically in cancer care that explores access and acceptability of provision for children with learning disabilities and/or those who are autistic. This is despite some cancers being more prevalent in syndromes associated with learning disabilities, for example Down’s Syndrome. We aim to explore the needs and experiences of children with/without learning disabilities and/or who are autistic and their families receiving cancer care. This inclusive study will provide evidence of whether, and what, inequity exists, for whom and why, generating evidence of what issues affect all children and young people receiving cancer care and what are particular to those with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic.Methods and analysisWe will use a transformative mixed methods design, comprising an individual staff and organisational level survey, retrospective case note review, ethnographic observations of clinical care, family and staff interviews, and participatory workshops. The ethnographer will follow and observe individual children and their families. We will use a ‘toolbox’ of creative participatory methods, including providing a co-designed research data collection journal to support elicitation of the child’s perspective. Data will be analysed using thematic analysis. The study will run from January 2025 to January 2026. The project is registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (Identifier: NCT06481527). Health Research Authority approval has been granted (REC Reference no. 24/LO/0410 | IRAS Project ID: 335623).DiscussionThe mixed methods approach using survey and qualitative design will support a broad scope and in-depth understanding of the barriers and facilitators to inform equitable cancer care delivery for children with and without learning disabilities and/or who are autistic. Potential limitations are acknowledged. For example, resource constraints mean that the focus of the ethnography work package is within two hospital sites, which may limit broader comparisons and thematic development. Dissemination of findings will include papers specific to each work package. Recommendations for clinical practice will be developed, including staff training, healthcare planning and innovative solutions for improving the cancer care experience. These outputs will directly inform quality improvement from a local to national and international context in cancer care around children and young people with learning disabilities and/or who are autistic.

Purpose To explore how lived and care experiences of young people (aged 16–24 years) who experience chronic musculoskeletal pain (CMP) influence their choices about CMP care, and how and where a digital health solution (DHS) could support their care. Methods A cross-sectional, exploratory qualitative study involving 20 young people (16–24 years) experiencing CMP. Eight focus groups were conducted, guided by a focus group schedule. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Results Three main themes emerged describing young people’s experiences and CMP care choices. For each main theme we identified how a DHS could support their care: (1) “Experiences of living with and managing their CMP.” A DHS could buffer self-care needs by providing timely support and creating a sense of community. (2) “Experiences with healthcare providers and healthcare services.” An app-based DHS could potentially help to coordinate CMP care and support health services navigation. (3) “Young people’s choices about their CMP care options.” DHSs can support young people prioritize their CMP care options. Conclusions Understanding young people’s values, alongside their care needs is critical to delivering person-centred care. A tailored DHS can value-add to young people’s CMP care by helping to minimize the burden of self-care, health service navigation and interactions with healthcare providers.

ABSTRACT Young people often navigate breakups with little or no prior experience. The emotions experienced during breakups are felt privately and individually; yet these emotions are also socially patterned. In this article, we draw on Arlie Hochschild’s concept of feeling rules to explore the emotion norms governing youth breakups; we conceptualise these as the ‘rules of disengagement.’ We conducted five focus groups with 28 LGBT and cisgender heterosexual youth (aged 15-24) in the UK. We identify three rules of disengagement: 'one should be appropriately distressed', 'one should not cause unnecessary hurt' and 'one should no longer be in love with their ex'. We characterise the factors shaping the strength, duration and direction of the rules of disengagement and identify rule exceptions. Young people’s accounts revealed variation and overlap in how breakups are navigated by LGBT and cisgender heterosexual youth, including whose emotions are centred and whose are dismissed during breakups, and the emotion norms facilitating the perpetuation of youth dating and relationship violence. Our exploration of the rules of disengagement, grounded in the experiences of young people of diverse genders and sexualities, has implications for those seeking to support young people navigate breakups.

Rosie Alexander’s book provides rural education researchers with a valuable resource, with helpful theoretical perspectives and evidence to inform arguments about the nature of rural access to higher education and career transitions beyond. While the study is clearly bounded in an island context of Scotland, the generalisability of the findings to other contexts are fairly clear to me. As I read through the book, I found myself reflecting on my own experiences living and working in island and rural communities. Much of the content resonates with me, even though I am unfamiliar with the research context. This is an academic book and I think is best suited to an academic audience. While the anecdotes presented provide insights into the experiences of young people, the theory surrounding these insights would be somewhat difficult for an education professional or policy maker to digest. I found the structure a little repetitive at times, where concepts were reused from chapter to chapter. That said, there is considerable value in this book as it challenges assumptions and presents alternative ways of thinking about higher education access and career pathways.

To investigate how young people's experiences of recognition in learning influence their wellbeing and to identify practical strategies for a more holistic and equitable educational approach that values diverse competencies beyond traditional academic measures. The project used a youth co-research and participatory design. Young people with recent experience of secondary education led the study alongside university and industry-based researchers. Data were collected between 13 May and 27 June 2024, through five participatory workshops and 10 in-depth interviews, conducted online and in person. Workshops were conducted across four contexts: two school settings (one mainstream school, one flexible learning school), one university setting (with students admitted through non-Australian Tertiary Admission Rank pathways), and one online context. 60 young people aged 15-29 years from Tasmania, Victoria, South Australia and New South Wales. Subjective and qualitative expression of knowledge and skills, wellbeing, and social connection. Young people reported that the current education system values conformity over creativity and forces them to follow prescribed pathways through learning, rather than pursue interests, curiosities and passions. This contributes considerably to poor sense of self, heightened anxiety and stress. Comparatively, when young people experience broader forms of recognition, they have greater understanding of themselves, feel safe, are engaged, can identify knowledge and skills they have acquired, have developed social connections and have a sense of subjective wellbeing. Forms of broader recognition that acknowledge non-formal learning, adopt alternative assessment and credentialing, foster supportive relationships and assert a commitment to overcoming disadvantage are essential to educational experiences that promote wellbeing. Broader recognition of learning, through non-formal learning, trusted relationships, supportive environments and learner agency, strengthens wellbeing across three dimensions: knowledge and skills, subjective wellbeing, and social connection. Redefining success in education to include recognition of broader learning - shaped by learners and their contexts - can enhance engagement, improve outcomes, disrupt disadvantage, and support more equitable systems that promote wellbeing and lifelong learning.

This study aimed to identify the experiences of Latin American adolescents and young people abortion in the literature. This integrative review aimed to elucidate the following question: "What information is available about the experiences of young people and adolescents regarding abortion in Latin America?". The data sources used were PubMed, Scopus, LILACS, BDENF, Embase, and Web of Science. The textual corpus was assembled from data extracted from the included articles. Data analysis was performed using the Iramuteq software. The sample consisted of 12 articles. Six classes were developed: family and social interactions in the decision to terminate a pregnancy; the means and fears of clandestine abortion; paradigms and stigmas in health care before and after abortion; distress for the lack of autonomy and lack of support; horror stories about abortion; and pain, fear of dying, and relief. Therefore, a complex dynamic of interactions when deciding to terminate a pregnancy was evidenced. This illustrates the urgency of discussing health care and more inclusive policies for all young women and adolescents regarding abortion.

Sleep duration and its associations with depressive, anxiety, PTSD symptoms, and psychotic-like experiences in young people: a household-based epidemiological study in Hong Kong.

Understanding experiences and impact of triadic communication for young people with cancer, supporters and healthcare professionals. A qualitative enquiry.

This study explores youth discourse to shed light on the zeitgeist and self-image of young people today. While various terms used to describe youth reflect their realities and lived experience, existing studies often position them as subjects of research rather than as active participants. Therefore, this study critically examines whether youth discourse truly reflects the lives of young people. Further, it aims to ensure practical relevance by analyzing their experiences and thoughts. For this purpose, we analyzed the learning processes of students enrolled in a liberal arts course at K University during the first semester of 2025 to explore their self-awareness and sense of the times. Through academic essays in which students independently analyzed relevant issues, this study highlighted the significance of youth discourse in liberal arts education. In this process, students selected major topics and refined details through in-depth discussions to ensure engagement and proactivity. During the topic selection process using mind mapping, students chose generation, sociality, AI, employment, and career as common discussion topics. Centered on these topics, they embraced and explored various perspectives, crafted individual topic sentences through collaborative learning, and enhanced the quality of their writing through peer editing. The writing process revealed that students addressed youth issues with unique perspectives and methods rather than adhering to fixed criteria, suggesting the need for a multidimensional approach that attends to the nuanced voices of young people. Through writing, the students experienced self-realization and community, allowing them to understand and share individual stories as a unique group. This study aimed to highlight the experiences of young people as subjects of youth discourse through the writing class, exploring the challenges they face and potential solutions, and contributing to a better understanding of contemporary youth. It sought to present possibilities and directions for the meaningful participation of youth in society, explore practical applications in educational settings, and provide a foundation for a more inclusive and multidimensional development of youth discourse.