Adolescent mental health

Dr Pingault’s research aims to further understand the emergence and the aetiology of mental health problems in adolescence to help design better tools for prevention.

Adolescent mental health is influenced by many factors over time. Dr Pingault follows what he describes as a genetically informed approach to his research. By including a genetic element he hopes to better identify factors that influence risk of poor mental health in adolescence and factors that promote resilience. The Emerging Leaders prize funding means Dr Pingault will be able to use this genetic approach to investigate intergenerational risks more fully.

Overall, Dr Pingault’s research suggests that repeated intervention at different stages is more effective than one-off early intervention to improve life for young people with mental health problems.