Adolescents' experiences of risk and protective factors in relation to mental wellbeing and mental health: a typology developed using ideal-type analysis

There is increased interest in adolescent wellbeing and the factors that increase or decrease the risk of mental health difficulties during adolescence. Extensive research exists for risk and protective factors, but few qualitative studies have been conducted in this area. Analysis of qualitative data can add insights into adolescents' perceptions and provide an opportunity to observe patterns in their subjective experiences.

The aim of this research was to explore patterns in adolescent-reported risk and protective factors in relation to the outcomes of mental wellbeing and mental health.

The data for this study were drawn from interviews across five sites in England, conducted as part of the 5-year national evaluation of the HeadStart Programme. The sample comprised 63 adolescents aged 11-12 years from the first annual wave of qualitative data collection in 2017. Ideal-type analysis was used to construct a qualitative typology to delineate patterns in adolescents' experiences of risk and protective factors.

Three distinct "types" or patterns of risk and protective factors in relation to adolescents' mental wellbeing and mental health were identified across the sample: the adolescent with "Uncertain Sources of Support," the adolescent with "Self-Initiated Forms of Support," and the adolescent with "Multiple Sources of Support."

Findings illustrate that distinct patterns exist in terms of adolescents' profiles of perceived risk and protective factors, with adolescents having clear differences in the levels of support that they perceived around them and the extent to which they felt that they could initiate, access, or find support to manage reported risk and stressors. These profiles may offer insight into the varied pathways through which adolescents attempt to navigate and manage threats to their mental wellbeing.