“If it wasn’t for them, I would probably just breakdown”: An IPA study exploring how secondary aged girls with SEMH needs describe and make sense of their relationships in school

The prevalence of social, emotional and mental health difficulties amongst young people has increased and Child, Adolescent and Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are struggling to respond to the current need. Therefore, more than ever, schools are playing a role in supporting young people with these needs, and the relationships they have in school are at the forefront of this.

Previous research suggests that the range of relationships formed in school can play a key role in supporting or hindering the social, emotional and mental health of students. SEMH needs amongst girls have been consistently under identified in schools which has led to them being underrepresented in the research.

Furthermore, studies in this area tend to utilise quantitative designs and, typically, self-report questionnaires to explore either the positive or negative aspects of specified relationships in school.

This study aims to give a voice to girls with SEMH needs and seek insight into their relationships in school, without being restricted by a specific narrative or scale, which has so often been the feature of research in this area. This thesis explored how three secondary aged girls with SEMH needs experience a single-sex secondary school and the meaning they take from the relationships they have within it.

Interviews were recorded, transcribed and analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Poignant themes were generated to summarise their experiences: Sources of Support, The Emotional Experience, Difficult Past Experiences, and Identity.

In the discussion of the findings, the girl's accounts are linked to various psychological theories to help explore their experiences. The findings provide several implications for EPs and schools as well as outlining directions for future research.