Exploring social identity change during mental healthcare transition

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McNamara, N. ORCID: 0000-0003-3123-3678, Coyne, I., Ford, T., Paul, M., Singh, S. and McNicholas, F., 2017. Exploring social identity change during mental healthcare transition. European Journal of Social Psychology, 47 (7), pp. 889-903. ISSN 0046-2772

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/ejsp.2329

Abstract

Adolescents attending Child & Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) requiring ongoing care are transferred to adult services (AMHS) at eighteen. Many young people with service needs are not being referred, or are refusing referral to AMHS. This study explored these issues from a social identity change perspective. Transcripts of interviews conducted with young people (n=11), their parents (n=5) and child (n=11) and adult (n=8) psychiatrists were thematically analysed. Transition to AMHS confirmed an ill
ness identity. Young people adopting this identity saw
continued service engagement as identity-congruent.
Disengagement was attributed to failure to adopt an illness identity or to an emerging adult identity associated with
greater independence. Fractious professional relationships hindered transition and delayed the formation of a therapeutic alliance with AMHS staff. Disengagement post-transfer was linked to incompatibility between the AMHS
service remit and specific illness identities. This study
demonstrates how an intersection between identities
shapes service engagement and disengagement.

Item Type:

Journal article

Description:

Published in a special issue of European Journal of Social Psychology: 'Social Identities and Social Cures: Advancing the Social Identity Approach to Health and Well-being'.

Publication Title:

European Journal of Social Psychology

Creators:

McNamara, N., Coyne, I., Ford, T., Paul, M., Singh, S. and McNicholas, F.

Publisher:

John Wiley

Date:

2017

Volume:

Number:

ISSN:

0046-2772