The emotional wellbeing of young people: Final report of Phase One of a 'Choose Life' Research Project in Aberdeenshire (March 2004-March 2007)

Aims & Objectives: The research was commissioned by the Aberdeenshire Community Planning Partnership in 2004 as part of its Choose Life Local Implementation Plan. The research has sought to address objectives 1 and 7 in the national Choose Life strategy, focusing on ‘Early Intervention and Prevention’ and ‘Knowing what works’. The study has taken the form of a three-year ‘action research’ project (extended in March 2006 to a five year study 2004 - 2008). Longitudinal in design, the study has combined multiple methodologies including a literature review, ethnography, a series of school-based surveys, interviews and focus group discussions with young people, parents, teachers and relevant professionals. It was designed to achieve the following: 1/ to provide insight into the relationship between self-esteem, ‘emotional literacy’ and ‘deliberate self-harm’ among young people. 2/ to inform the development of an ‘intervention’ in Portlethen that will be available to all children as a means of enabling them to increase their self-esteem and ‘emotional literacy’ with consequent impact on their involvement in ‘deliberate self-harm’. 3/ to enable key stakeholders to develop effective ways of joint working to promote emotional wellbeing among young people. Reporting of Results The research has identified a range of related and overlapping themes which form essence of emotional wellbeing.