BrainWaves – powerful support for mental health that works
We have a problem. The mental health of our teenagers is in dire need of our help. This crisis affecting adolescent mental health is worldwide, but the figures for the UK are devastating. According to the NHS Mental Health of Children and Young People Surveys, over half of 17-23 year olds (52.7%) in the UK reported a decline in their mental health between 2017 and 2021. In addition, one in four young people had a probable mental health disorder in 2022.
In order to address these challenges, an innovative collaboration between scientists, educationalists, schools, and young people is taking the search for better mental health for adolescents to a whole new level. BrainWaves seeks to work directly with schools through evidence-based learning materials that support teachers in delivering learning that will really make a positive difference to mental health in the context of today’s challenges.
The origins of BrainWaves
BrainWaves came about as a result of two colleagues at Oxford University, Mina Fazal, Professor of Adolescent Psychiatry, and John Gallacher, Professor of Cognitive Health, talking to The Day, an online educational resource that turns news into lessons. Their joint observations about the crisis in teenage mental health and wellbeing led them to conclude that we are at a point where we need to do something. Education needs answers and a reliable source of evidence-informed resources based on science in order to address this crisis effectively.
For Professor Mina Fazal, BrainWaves is much needed. She said, “We have to start doing something on a completely different scale to address the mental health needs of young people. There are many factors which could be contributing to their difficulties. Schools are the key place that we need to be working. We’ve looked at the data, we’ve been looking at the research out there and all the important work that has been done centres around schools.”
The BrainWaves programme
The resulting collaboration between the University of Oxford, the University of Swansea and The Day means that BrainWaves will work directly with schools, supporting teachers and recruiting pupils for its longitudinal study.
Rod Macrea from BrainWaves feels that this is a great opportunity for schools to become involved. He said, “We aim to help young people to flourish, and to trust themselves to make the decisions they need to make regardless of their background or the context in which they find themselves. Schools are doing their best, and we want to help them, and equip them to engage with the evidence base. All the data we gather from classrooms using the interventions is anonymized and the value of the data will grow and appreciate over time. There is no doubt that this is a data challenge. We are doing detailed analysis at scale. This will be the largest longitudinal cohort for studying teens that we know of. The potential for research is huge and anyone who engages with teens will find it useful. This is of international significance and can be replicated around the world.”
The data gathered as part of the study is being managed by the University of Swansea via its purpose-built data research platform. The intention is that 50,000 16-19 year-olds will participate, and the outcome could transform adolescent mental health, with research-informed approaches to wellbeing at school being fed back into schools, including innovative educational resources and CPD. This free support for teachers just might be a gamechanger.
Actively listening to young people
“The stresses that young people are facing are not just about the Covid pandemic. There are a number of factors,” Macrae explains. “The work we do with schools and colleges is informed by teenagers. Through our research we can check in with them, and notice patterns of emotion and so on. Working with schools in a direct way will have an incredible impact. Eventually we will be working with a cohort of 50,000 young people. We will be able to accumulate data over this time about what interventions work most effectively.”
Feedback from the pilot schools that have used the BrainWaves content has already been very positive. Children and young people know that they need support for their mental health and the insights from the BrainWaves longitudinal study will, over time, help determine what really works to improve adolescent mental health.
Taking action
BrainWaves is currently actively recruiting secondary schools and sixth form colleges to become BrainWaves Research Schools. Its educational programme launched in May 2023 with a series of evidence-based lessons for Year 12 students. Further lessons for Key Stages 3 and 4 will be launched in Autumn and Spring 2023-24. Becoming a BrainWaves Research School will allow schools to take part in the lessons, receive free teacher training, trial pilot interventions, and most importantly, be a part of the longitudinal study completing mental health questionnaires and forming a vital part of this research being undertaken at scale.
To get involved, the BrainWaves lesson plans and teacher resources can be accessed at education.brainwaveshub.org. “Everything we offer is free” explains Macrae. “Our resources hit a number of different issues and teachers can look at past webinars on our website. We have covered issues such as understanding the teenage brain, active listening, wellbeing champions, teenagers and sleep, and peer support in schools.” Schools interested in becoming a BrainWaves Research School can also email support@brainwaveshub.org for more information.
We are at a point at which we have to take action. For Professor John Gallacher, this means providing better mental health support for young people. “We have to do a lot better at understanding the teenage mind and addressing mental health issues amongst our young people. More than anything we need to equip them with the tools to thrive in the world today.”
We know that we cannot continue to base our approaches to adolescent mental health on research in adults, and that the crisis needs our urgent attention. Although still in its infancy, BrainWaves looks set to become an incredibly important resource for schools at a time when its need could hardly be greater.
Find out more…
Home - Brainwaves (brainwaveshub.org)
BrainWaves: In search of better teenage mental health (shorthandstories.com)
About the author
Elizabeth Holmes
After graduating with a degree in Politics and International Relations from the University of Reading, Elizabeth Holmes completed her PGCE at the Institute of Education, University of London. She then taught humanities and social sciences in schools in London, Oxfordshire and West Sussex, where she ran the history department in a challenging comprehensive. Elizabeth specialises in education but also writes on many other issues and themes. As well as her regular blogs for Eteach and FEjobs, her books have been published by a variety of publishers and translated around the world. Elizabeth has also taught on education courses in HE and presented at national and international conferences.
