ATTUNE : Understanding mechanisms and mental health impacts of Adverse Childhood Experiences to co-design preventive arts and digital interventions.
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Oxford
Department Name: Psychiatry
Abstract
This research investigates how adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) unfold to affect adolescents' mental health and co-produces novel prevention approaches. ACEs refer to harsh, unsafe, abusive and/or distressing events or living conditions during childhood. Three in four adolescents exposed to multiple ACEs develop significant distress and mental health disorders as young adults, including anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder. We do not fully understand what makes an adolescent vulnerable to, or protected from, mental health problems following ACEs nor how to best to protect and support affected young people, many of whom struggle to find and engage with care services. This research aims to address these gaps in knowledge and support by placing young people's lived experience at the centre of our learning and action planning. Young people will be key actors in the design, delivery, governance, evaluation, dissemination and impact of six work packages (WPs). All WPs involve diverse young people (age, gender, ethnicity, LGBTQ, neurodiversity/autism) from different locations (rural, urban, coastal) because place affects local assets, opportunities, and access to care services. Young people will produce a film to ensure good communication and learning from all parts of the research and to evaluate the research. Ethical issues and safeguarding are addressed throughout.
WP1 explores the lived experience of young people exposed to ACEs, how they define and explain their mental health, and how and why ACEs impact people differently. We highlight the needs of young people who are under-represented in ACE research, and of diverse identities and places. We will engage young people via creative arts and writing, performance, film, music and state-of-the-art games technology, and examine if these help young people express and share their experiences. WP1 will identify care approaches for ACE-related mental health problems that are considered useful and acceptable. WP2 will extend our understanding via analysis of existing large data sets collected from over 30,000 individuals to learn which personal or context factors best explain mental health outcomes following ACEs. WP3 turns WP1 and 2 learning and outputs into action. We will work intensively with young people and key stakeholders to co-produce public mental health resources for secondary schools, the third sector and social services to help them understand and better support adolescent mental health following ACEs. WP4 involves young people in co-design of a digital version of a promising therapy (Narrative Exposure Therapy, NET). Many young people actively avoid talking about their most adverse experiences even though this can help their mental health. We want to test if a co-designed version of NET that makes use of serious games or mixed reality technology, directly informed by WP1&2, helps young people engage and benefit from NET. Merging NET with technology is novel and requires multiple stages of prototype refinement. Young people will shape implementation and testing in rural, coastal and urban settings. WP4 examines if the new approach is feasible, acceptable and helpful to young people of diverse identities and to clinicians; we will understand how it works and what improvements are needed before proceeding to larger studies of effectiveness. WP5 will deliver preliminary cost-effectiveness information on distinct approaches. WP6 runs across the project to share learning with young people, clinicians, communities, policy and decision-makers, who will produce guidance on care for young people following ACEs. Our team includes diverse arts, digital and health experts, researchers and clinicians, carers, voluntary and community groups, local government, commissioners and providers. The research will bring a spotlight to ACEs and young people's mental health, and advance understanding of risk, resilience, and recovery for affected young people.
WP1 explores the lived experience of young people exposed to ACEs, how they define and explain their mental health, and how and why ACEs impact people differently. We highlight the needs of young people who are under-represented in ACE research, and of diverse identities and places. We will engage young people via creative arts and writing, performance, film, music and state-of-the-art games technology, and examine if these help young people express and share their experiences. WP1 will identify care approaches for ACE-related mental health problems that are considered useful and acceptable. WP2 will extend our understanding via analysis of existing large data sets collected from over 30,000 individuals to learn which personal or context factors best explain mental health outcomes following ACEs. WP3 turns WP1 and 2 learning and outputs into action. We will work intensively with young people and key stakeholders to co-produce public mental health resources for secondary schools, the third sector and social services to help them understand and better support adolescent mental health following ACEs. WP4 involves young people in co-design of a digital version of a promising therapy (Narrative Exposure Therapy, NET). Many young people actively avoid talking about their most adverse experiences even though this can help their mental health. We want to test if a co-designed version of NET that makes use of serious games or mixed reality technology, directly informed by WP1&2, helps young people engage and benefit from NET. Merging NET with technology is novel and requires multiple stages of prototype refinement. Young people will shape implementation and testing in rural, coastal and urban settings. WP4 examines if the new approach is feasible, acceptable and helpful to young people of diverse identities and to clinicians; we will understand how it works and what improvements are needed before proceeding to larger studies of effectiveness. WP5 will deliver preliminary cost-effectiveness information on distinct approaches. WP6 runs across the project to share learning with young people, clinicians, communities, policy and decision-makers, who will produce guidance on care for young people following ACEs. Our team includes diverse arts, digital and health experts, researchers and clinicians, carers, voluntary and community groups, local government, commissioners and providers. The research will bring a spotlight to ACEs and young people's mental health, and advance understanding of risk, resilience, and recovery for affected young people.
Technical Summary
Research Questions: What are the psychological and geo-socio-economic contextual mechanisms by which ACEs unfold to affect or safeguard the mental health and lives of young people (aged 10-24)? Are co-designed, youth-informed public mental health and serious games interventions acceptable, feasible, potentially cost effective, and beneficial for ACE exposed young people? Research Plan: Via participatory creative arts methods we will generate lived experience data and combine this with secondary analysis of large cohorts to address knowledge gaps about mental health risk and resiliency pathways. Using this information, a) we will undertake an experience based co-design process to produce public mental health resources relevant to schools, the third sector and social services; b) We will test if ACE-exposed adolescents engage with and benefit from a co-designed serious game version of Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET). We will test feasibility, acceptability, levels of personalization and guidance, potential cost-effectiveness, and scalability by place. There are four cross-cutting themes: ethics, PPI, interdisciplinary learning, and neurodivergence, throughout. Expected outputs: 1) Data showing how ACEs impact the developing mind, gaps in care, and youth perspectives on ACEs and appropriate care. 2) New knowledge about mechanisms of risk and resiliency. 3) Youth led evaluative films and arts outputs enhancing interdisciplinary learning and reporting research findings about interventions and mechanisms/logic models. 4) Interdisciplinary learning on ethical issues in arts/digital/mental health research, PPI, and neurodiversity. 5) Co-produced public mental health resources and serious game-based psychoeducational and therapeutic interventions, with data on acceptability, feasibility, potential cost-effectiveness, and mechanisms. Impacts: Transform practice, care pathways and systems. Provide trauma-informed resources. Learning for future research, policy and practice.
Publications

Bhui K
(2022)
Creative arts and digitial interventions as potential tools in prevention and recovery from the mental health consequences of adverse childhood experiences.
in Nature communications

Bhui K
(2023)
The trouble with trauma and triggering.
in The lancet. Psychiatry







Pavarini G
(2021)
Ethical issues in participatory arts methods for young people with adverse childhood experiences.
in Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy

Reay E
(2023)
Typologies and Features of Play in Mobile Games for Mental Wellbeing
in Simulation & Gaming
Title | 2 songs from Emerge |
Description | A YP composed and wrote two songs, one about life with an eating disorder and another about mental health |
Type Of Art | Composition/Score |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | The ATTUNE art portfolio has not had music till now - will be used in conferences and dissemination purposes. |
Title | ATTUNE Podcast Series |
Description | The ATTUNE podcast series was launched in October 2023. So far we have 12 episodes out on Spotify. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Increased engagement which we can track using analytics. |
URL | https://open.spotify.com/show/2HVmkuLSFx6C1eamhklXB1 |
Title | CAST Event in Cornwall |
Description | Creative art exhibition showcasing WP1 artworks in CAST in Cornwall on November 20th where young people and stakeholders could come and take part. |
Type Of Art | Artistic/Creative Exhibition |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Young people felt their voices were heard. |
URL | https://www.attuneproject.com/news/participatory-art-brings-young-participants-with-aces-come-togeth... |
Title | Foundation Life Line |
Description | A short film produced by the Leeds Attune team in partnership with Foundation Scarborough |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | This was a training film to support skills and advocacy development for the young people involved, who have joined the national youth film crews on the Attune project. |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPQC6a3cRqo |
Title | Intercom Trust Film |
Description | A film created by the young people at Intercom Trust, Cornwall during ATTUNE WP1 workshops. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Yet to be disseminated. |
Title | Just Surviving |
Description | Collaboration with Aardman Animation x ATTUNE using WP1 insight and YP voiceovers |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | Uploaded onto YouTube and is shared at dissemination events |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=72NfyGqoRZU |
Title | Leeds GATE Girls group |
Description | This is a short film that reflects up the mental health challenges faced by the girls who come to Leeds GATE. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | The film was designed to support skills development in the young people involved and to ensure that this community's point of view was represented in the development of the Attune interventions. |
Title | Leeds GATE Rocks |
Description | A short film made by young people who use Leeds GATE. The film explores their attitudes to the way the public often views their community. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2023 |
Impact | The film was part of a youth-led training programme to develop film and advocacy skills in the young people who use the centre. |
Title | Oxford Attune Introduction |
Description | This is a short film made by the Oxford Attune YPAG, designed to encourage young people to get involved in the project. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | The aim of the film was to raise awareness of the project and in particular it's youth-led focus. |
Title | Oxford Reflective Film |
Description | This film was produced as part of the Attune Youth Film Crew Training Programme and was designed to highlight what the young people involved wish to achieve via the project. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | The aim of this film was to support skills development in the young people involved and to provide material to raise awareness of the project. |
Title | The Kent Film Crew |
Description | This is a short film made by the youth film crew in Kent about how to engage with neurodivergent participants in Attune. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | This film was made as part of the youth film crew training programme, supporting skills development in the young people involved. |
Title | The Phone |
Description | A short animation film made by the Falmouth Youth Film Crew about cyber bullying. |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | The film was made as part of a training programme for the Attune Falmouth Film Crew. |
Title | WP1 ATTUNE Documentary |
Description | Documentary style film of the process of WP1 |
Type Of Art | Film/Video/Animation |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Yet to be disseminated. |
Title | Zines from Hayle School and The House |
Description | Photographs taken by the young people from Hayle School and The House in Cornwall collated into a small book with captions. |
Type Of Art | Artwork |
Year Produced | 2022 |
Impact | Yet to be disseminated. |
Description | Advising National Theatre as Autism and Neurodiversity consultant |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Influenced training of practitioners or researchers |
Impact | The changes to understanding and practice are evident in the differences between the previous NT production and the current tour. The company are working with neurodivergent performers and are adopting inclusive and accessible practices in all aspects of production. The trigger warnings and sensitivity notes have been updated. There has been training and discussion in relation to neurodiversity and representations of disability. All of this impacts on the audience experience as the production seeks to challenge stereotypes of autism and disability and to promote understanding and awareness of neurodiversity and neurodivergent people. As this is a set text in schools the production attracts school groups and is very influential on adolescent understanding of autism. Evaluation is ongoing as the production continues. |
URL | https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/the-curious-incident-on-tour |
Description | Invited to contribute to DHSC workshops on child mental health |
Geographic Reach | National |
Policy Influence Type | Participation in a guidance/advisory committee |
Description | Additional funding from NIHR Oxford and North Thames ARC |
Amount | £20,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | National Institute for Health Research |
Department | NIHR CLAHRC North Thames |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2022 |
End | 03/2023 |
Description | Creating Research Ecologies to Advance Transdiciplinary lEarning (CREATE) on arts-based programs through the study of adolescent loneliness |
Amount | £124,999,507 (GBP) |
Funding ID | MR/X003116/1 |
Organisation | Medical Research Council (MRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 11/2022 |
End | 10/2025 |
Description | NIHR Applied Research Collaboration Oxford and Thames Valley 2023 |
Amount | £11,734 (GBP) |
Organisation | Oxford Applied Research |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
Description | Understanding the Cel: Vulnerability, Violence and In(ter)vention |
Amount | £248,260 (GBP) |
Funding ID | AH/W007398/1 |
Organisation | Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 02/2023 |
End | 01/2025 |
Description | University of Leeds Doctoral Scholarship |
Amount | £210,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Leeds |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2022 |
End | 09/2025 |
Description | mental health and wellbeing among young women 12-24 |
Amount | £49,324 (GBP) |
Funding ID | NIHR135162 |
Organisation | University College London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2021 |
End | 11/2022 |
Description | ATTUNE and Leeds EMERGE |
Organisation | Leeds and York Partnership NHS Foundation Trust |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Public |
PI Contribution | Intellectual input on methodology for WP1 workshops that will be held on NHS sites and ethical considerations. Access to materials and questionnaires for use. |
Collaborator Contribution | Running WP1 workshops on behalf of ATTUNE with trained staff aiding data collection. |
Impact | Outputs yet to occur. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | ATTUNE and Theatre Troupe |
Organisation | Emily Hunka, Theatre Troupe |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
PI Contribution | Intellectual input on methodology for the WP1 workshops that Theatre Troupe will be running on behalf of ATTUNE, materials and questionnaires provided. |
Collaborator Contribution | Running a set of workshops on behalf of ATTUNE, aiding in data collection with their trained staff and expertise. |
Impact | Outputs yet to occur. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with other ATTUNE teams and also other awardees: RESTAR (Barke) and ReThink (Hillier) |
Organisation | King's College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have established an incredible partnership with Leeds, Falmouth, Kent, QMUL, UCL, KCL, Oxford, and with Young People Cornwall and other youth NGOs. |
Collaborator Contribution | We are also working with other awardees including Barke and Hillier. With Barke's RESTART team, we submitted another proposal on methodologies to UKRI, and are also working with Barke and Hillier on thinking about common measures for neurodiversity and looked after children. |
Impact | Awaiting a grant application outcome, and also we will be generating a set of standard self report questions for neurodiversity and look after children descriptors for both a survey in ATTUNE and to support common measures across the programmes. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with other ATTUNE teams and also other awardees: RESTAR (Barke) and ReThink (Hillier) |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We have established an incredible partnership with Leeds, Falmouth, Kent, QMUL, UCL, KCL, Oxford, and with Young People Cornwall and other youth NGOs. |
Collaborator Contribution | We are also working with other awardees including Barke and Hillier. With Barke's RESTART team, we submitted another proposal on methodologies to UKRI, and are also working with Barke and Hillier on thinking about common measures for neurodiversity and looked after children. |
Impact | Awaiting a grant application outcome, and also we will be generating a set of standard self report questions for neurodiversity and look after children descriptors for both a survey in ATTUNE and to support common measures across the programmes. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Collaboration with the University of Ulster |
Organisation | Ulster University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Members of the ATTUNE team have established a partnership with the University of Ulster and collaborated on a UKRI proposal around consent in adolescent mental health, with a view to widen participation. The proposal aligns with and expands the new ethics research undertaken within the ATTUNE project. We have also conducted a youth consultation to support the proposal. |
Collaborator Contribution | Ulster led the grant application submitted in January 2022, with members of the ATTUNE team as co-Investigators, among other partners. We currently await the outcome. |
Impact | The project involves partners at Cambridge, Manchester, UCL, Anna Freud Centre, among others, across Law, Medicine, Psychology, Philosophy, Population Health, Education and Social Sciences. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | 2023 ATTUNE Impact and Dissemination Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ATTUNE hosted our first conference at Wadham College on September 14th 2023. The purpose was to disseminate our learnings from WP1 and WP2 to the wider public who work with young people/adolescents. Over 120 people signed up, over 80 people attended. We had Jason Arday, Georgina Fletcher and 2 young people as keynote speakers, as well as 2 young people as co-chairs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | ATTUNE x NCB |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ATTUNE are doing a workshop at 3 National Children's Bureau conferences (London, Birmingham, Manchester) in March 2024. We will be sharing learnings from WP1 and WP3 about young people's safety in their accommodations. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | CPD Workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Schools |
Results and Impact | Workshops on understanding neurodiversity, gender and adolescent mental health. These led to increased understanding of how to support autistic young people, and more awareness of their sensory needs. Teachers recognised the need for adaptations in classroom environments and curriculum. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
URL | https://thebeacon.kent.sch.uk/ |
Description | Centre of Equity Talk |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ATTUNE gave a talk during the Centre of Equity Launch day. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Co-organised webinar titled "Youth in Action: Addressing mental health together" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | Co-organised webinar titled "Youth in Action: Addressing mental health together" in partnership with UNICEF, NCD Child and MyMindOurHumanity. A group of young people and professionals shared what it was like to live with one or more non-communicable diseases (NCDs) during the pandemic and highlighted steps to protect mental health and well-being for all young people. The group also discussed innovative ways of peer support and how to meaningfully engage young people in promoting mental health. Speakers: Joab Wako, NCD Child Young Leaders Program, Kenya, Bruno Helman, NCD Child Young Leaders Program,Brazil, Gabriela Pavarini, University of Oxford, UK, Chantelle Booysen, Lancet Commission on Global Mental Health, South Africa, Rafael Ribeiro Alves de Souza, University of Brasilia, Brazil, Christina Arena, University of Southampton, UK, Joanna Lai, UNICEF, USA |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.ncdchild.org/2022/05/16/youth-in-action-addressing-mental-health-together/ |
Description | Conversations about arts, health humanities and interdisciplinary research |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | Interview with Dr Dieter Declercq (Aesthetics) , and Professor Ian Sabroe (Clinician) to launch the medical humanities podcast series "Conversations about arts, humanities and health. Recorded on 30 April 2021 (duration: 1 hour 1 minute). Viewings are currently 119, alongside an audience of 50 for the live event. The data for the series indicates audiencesacross 35 countries. The majority are UK (52%) and US (27%). The podcast is part of a series of free online events where scholars, health professionals, and the public discuss how arts and humanities can inform healthcare. Hosted by the University of Kent and with the support of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, these conversations seek to develop meaningful dialogue and connection between humanities and medicine. Each podcast has a short follow up on the website. Imagining Autism, Autism Re-Imagined and Playing A/Part were discussed in the Podcast with follow up emails subsequently and an invitation to speak for a seminar at the Research and Pedagogy unit at Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts, Singapore. Reference was also made to the ATTUNE project consortium and the work done prior to securing the funding. There was also follow-up from education professionals interested in the resources and training (e.g. Matthew Velada-Billson, Headteacher, Edgebury Primary School, Bromley). The podcast is at: https://anchor.fm/convoartshealth/episodes/Episode-2---In-Conversation-with-Prof-Nicola-Shaughnessy-e1002ta April 2021 |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
URL | https://research.kent.ac.uk/medicalhumanities/conversations-about-arts-humanities-and-health |
Description | Digital storytelling as a tool for reflective assessment (talk at University of Brasilia, Brazil) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | This is an invited talk at the University of Brasilia, Brazil, targeted at undergraduates from different programmes (Population Health, Occupational Therapy, Psychology etc.). The aim was to inspire and enable students to use arts-based methods to document their learning trajectory during their practicums. The method has since been incorporated into a health practicum offered by the university. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Ethics game co-design workshops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | We held two Ethics Co-design sessions with the ATTUNE Young People's Co-Design Team to reflect on the ethical implications of two of the ATTUNE mini-games - focused on the experience of poverty and gender dysphoria. Substantive input arising from these sessions were incorporated into game design. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023,2024 |
Description | Ethics of game-based interventions for adolescent mental health (Youth workshop) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | This online workshop brought together 16 young people, recruited from Uplift Young People's Advisory Group (different locations the UK) and CAMHS South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. The workshop introduced young people to the ATTUNE Project, the Ethics Cross-Cutting Theme, and the emergence of game-based interventions for mental health. Young people took part in small group discussions to share their expertise around the risks and benefits of game-based interventions, as well as their preferences and priorities, in order to support responsible innovation within the ATTUNE Project. Young people's insights will inform a commentary on the ethics of game-based mental health interventions by the project researchers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Ethics/Games Jam - workshop for Ethics of Gaming Interventions for Mental Health with young people |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | 6 young people plus youth workers and games designers were consulted in-person on ethical issues involving designing games for mental health. YPs signed up for ongoing involvement with the games co-design process. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Film Celebration Event |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | In January 2023, a film celebration event was held online for ATTUNE members and those supporting ATTUNE, to screen the films the young people had produced as part of WP1 workshops. Each film was different and covered a broad range (mental health, neurodiversity, working with ATTUNE). The intended purpose was to showcase their artwork for the first time. Outcomes that arose from it was to plan sharing on the ATTUNE website and social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | How To Guide for Hybrid Events |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Engagement focused website, blog or social media channel |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | From the 'Seen and Heard' Event, the young people produced an infographic How To Guide for Hybrid Events that was circulated on social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://twitter.com/AttuneProject/status/1620461697793409025 |
Description | Interactive panel on 'The ethics of arts and health-based research' at the Oxford Global Health Bioethics Conference |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Interactive panel hosted on 'The ethics of arts and health-based research' at the Oxford Global Health Bioethics Conference, in collaboration with colleagues at the Ethox Centre and Prof Taiwo Afolabi, Director of the Centre for Socially Engaged Theatre (C-SET), and Associate Professor at the University of Regina, Canada. As part of the panel, I presented emerging ethics findings from ATTUNE on young people's preferences for anonymity or recognition in arts-based research. We used participatory, arts-based methods with attendees to reflect on the intersections among arts, health and ethics. Following the session, attendees reported increased motivation to adopt arts methods or engage in this area of bioethical work. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.ethox.ox.ac.uk/opportunities/global-health-and-bioethics-international-conference |
Description | Investigator Workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Investigators met in Oxford for a day workshop discussing early findings from each work package and future ideas for collaboration and dissemination. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | London ACEs Hub Webinar x ATTUNE |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | ATTUNE did a webinar with the London ACEs Hub on ATTUNE's learnings so far. Around 40-50 people attended which allowed discussion. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDyxfdoEkJ0 |
Description | Participation in Wilton Park dialogue on "Building resilient societies: the impact of adversity, violence or traumatic experiences on adolescent brain, mental health and psychosocial development" |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Policymakers/politicians |
Results and Impact | Participation in Wilton Park dialogue on "Building resilient societies: the impact of adversity, violence or traumatic experiences on adolescent brain, mental health and psychosocial development", organised by UNODC, UNICEF and Save the Children. The event included academics, policymakers, and professionals from a range of influential international organisations. Input will inform a Policy Paper that promotes reforms acknowledging connections among adversity, neurodevelopment, and behaviour in adolescents. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.wiltonpark.org.uk/event/building-resilient-societies-the-impact-of-adversity-violence-or... |
Description | Participatory Video Training at University of Kent |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | We ran a two day workshop with a group of neurodiverse young people, training them in participatory video methods in order to support their engagement with the ATTUNE Youth Film Crew. The YFC will be facilitating communication across the project, ensuring that the critical reflections of young people are at the heart of ATTUNE's research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Peer-reviewed talk at 'Ethical Games: A Conference on the ethics of digital game design, development, and operation' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given at interdisciplinary conference 'Ethical Games: A Conference on the ethics of digital game design, development, and operation' including academics (including students) and professionals. We reported ATTUNE results from a systematic review on the ethics of applied mental health games. The talk is available on YouTube to reach a wider online audience. The talk granted an invitation to submit a paper for a Special Issue on ACM Games. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
URL | https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7xUhU2Ximk |
Description | Presentation to Psychiatrists on creative methods in mental health research - Eastern Division of RCPsych |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | A presentation on using creative arts methods to research and report and disseminate findings on health inequalities. This was a digital meeting organised by one division of RCPsych with clinicians, service users, and leaders all contributing. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2021 |
Description | Presenting work on inequalities and arts to Rutgers Grand Rounds |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | This was a Grand Rounds invited presesentation on inequalities and mental health, including creative arts methods and findings. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2008,2021 |
Description | Seen and Heard Young People Advisory Group Event in Oxford |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Study participants or study members |
Results and Impact | Oxford YPAG members attended a 2 day workshop for filmmaking training led by Professor Paul Cooke and Kier Harris in Oxford. On the second day, they hosted a hybrid event, 'Seen and Heard' for other YPAG members based in Leeds, Kent and Cornwall. This was an afternoon to discuss young people's experiences and what ATTUNE could learn from them going forward. The main output was a How To Guide that the young people wrote and created for future hybrid events with young people that was posted on social media. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Storytelling and animation workshop |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | ATTUNE Young People's Advisory Group members attended an online storytelling workshop followed by an in-person animation workshop delivered by Prof Paul Cooke, Dr Gabriela Pavarini and Dr Ben Teasdale, covering different techniques. The activity resulted in capacity-building for designing digital arts-based outputs. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2024 |
Description | Talk at Reuben College, Better together: Community partnerships for research and innovation |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Postgraduate students |
Results and Impact | The talk is part of the "Dining with Dinosaurs" series, Reuben College's flagship event at the Oxford Museum of Natural History. The value of youth involvement and community partnership was discussed from the perspective of a researcher (Dr Gabriela Pavarini) and an ATTUNE YPAG member (Max Moorcroft), inspiring attendees to incorporate these methods into their research. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
URL | https://reuben.ox.ac.uk/dining-dinosaurs |
Description | Talk on Youth participation, wellbeing and digital innovation (TOPIC Research Group, Oxford) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Local |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Talk given to 30-40 researchers and graduate students at the Oxford Department of Experimental Psychology, which stimulated discussions about youth involvement and co-production. Attendees reported interest in collaborating in future projects. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2023 |
Description | Workshop on consent for young people with PMLD |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Expert group meeting/workshop focussed on ethics and practices for seeking consent when working with people with profound and multiple learning disabilities. How we can ensure we are working in an ethically sound way; sharing practices, prior to developing tools. Co-ordinated by Frozen Light Theatre in connection with a new project, 'The Sensory Studio" (funded by Paul Hamlyn Foundation)a collaboration with adult artists with profound and multiple learning disabilities. Invitation only with contributions from specialists in arts, education, health, parents, carers/advocates. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.frozenlighttheatre.com |
Description | YPAG (Oxford) |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Undergraduate students |
Results and Impact | Monthly meetings with approx. 10 young people who form local (Oxford-hosted) Young Person's Advisory Group. YPs advised on study elements, discussed themes arising from ethical questions, and circulated co-designed outputs among peers. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022,2023 |