Putting Youth on the Map! Reflections on the Implementation of Mind Mapping as a Youth Participatory Action Research Framed Method

Adolescent girls face a worsening mental health crisis, exacerbated by shifting trends in youth lifestyle and increased societal uncertainty. Youth empowerment approaches, such as Youth Participatory Action Research (YPAR), can increase the relevance of research findings and recommendations to better inform policy and practice. Arts-based methods are well positioned to apply the key principles of YPAR. Mind mapping is an arts-based method that shows strong promise but has limited implementation in a youth mental health setting. The present study describes the implementation of seven mind-mapping sessions with 112 female-identifying youth across the city of Chicago on the topic of mental health. The methodology effectively engaged youth in critical reflection and communication about this topic. It also increased researchers’ understanding of mental health within this population, uncovering nuanced relationships between data and action. Particularly, this methodology is suitable for exploring sensitive topics with young people who may be less engaged in traditional research methodologies. The article reflects on the strengths and challenges of the mind-mapping approach, along with recommendations for future implementation and research.