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Mental health
Protocol
Protocol: A grounded theory of ‘recovery’—perspectives of adolescent users of mental health services
  1. Lucianne Palmquist1,
  2. Sue Patterson2,
  3. Analise O'Donovan1,
  4. Graham Bradley3
  1. 1 School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University Mt Gravatt Campus, Mt Gravatt, Queensland, Australia
  2. 2 Metro North Hospital and Health Services and School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
  3. 3 School of Applied Psychology and Menzies Health Institute Queensland, Griffith University Gold Coast Campus, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia
  1. Correspondence to Lucianne Palmquist; lucianne.palmquist{at}griffithuni.edu.au

Abstract

Introduction Policies internationally endorse the recovery paradigm as the appropriate foundation for youth mental health services. However, given that this paradigm is grounded in the views of adults with severe mental illness, applicability to youth services and relevance to young people is uncertain, particularly as little is known about young people’s views. A comprehensive understanding of the experiences and expectations of young people is critical to developing youth mental health services that are acceptable, accessible, effective and relevant.

Aim To inform development of policy and youth services, the study described in this protocol aims to develop a comprehensive account of the experiences and expectations of 12–17 year olds as they encounter mental disorders and transition through specialist mental health services. Data will be analysed to model recovery from the adolescents’ perspective.

Method and analysis This grounded theory study will use quantitative and qualitative data collected in interviews with 12–17 year olds engaged with specialist Child/Youth Mental Health Service in Queensland, Australia. Interviews will explore adolescents’ expectations and experiences of mental disorder, and of services, as they transition through specialist mental health services, including the meaning of their experiences and ideas of ‘recovery’ and how their experiences and expectations are shaped. Data collection and analysis will use grounded theory methods.

Ethics and dissemination Adolescents’ experiences will be presented as a mid-range theory. The research will provide tangible recommendations for youth-focused mental health policy and practice. Findings will be disseminated within academic literature and beyond to participants, health professionals, mental health advocacy groups and policy and decision makers via publications, research summaries, conferences and workshops targeting different audiences. Ethical and research governance approvals have been obtained from relevant Human Research Ethics committees and all sites involved.

  • Child & adolescent psychiatry
  • Qualitative research
  • Mental health

This is an Open Access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/

https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2016-015161

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors All authors were responsible for the development and refinement of the protocol. LP wrote the draft and final manuscripts. SP provided substantial intellectual input into informing methodology and provided overall review of structure. GB and AO contributed to critical review, editing and final approval of the version to be published.

    • Funding Funding has been provided via the Griffith University School of Applied Psychology PhD fund. No other grant has been received from public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors. Queensland Health has provided in-kind support to the study.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Ethics approval This study has been reviewed and approved by the National Health and Medical Research Council authorised Human Research Ethics Committees of Mater Health Services (Ref. HREC/14/MHS/208) and Griffith University Research (Ref. PSY/26/15/HREC). Governance approvals have been obtained from each site.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.