Beth Bell, Senior Lecturer/ Associate Professor in Mental Health and Well being, Department of Education
Beth Bell is a Senior Lecturer/Associate Professor in Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education in the Department of Education.
She joined the University in August 2021 and has a background in interdisciplinary research spanning HCI, Psychology and Education.
email: beth.bell@york.ac.uk
Our 60-second interview with Beth:
What do you do in the field of mental health?
My research aims to understand the risks and opportunities afforded by digital media and technologies in relation to youth wellbeing and mental health. A second strand of my research involves the co-design, development and evaluation of interventions that aim to improve youth mental health. Currently, I’m working on a project that aims to understand how digital- and school-based mental health services can work together to improve mental health outcomes for young people.
I also teach on the Mental Health and Wellbeing in Education MSc at the University of York.
What do you find most rewarding and inspiring in this work?
Talking to young people! Most of my research is qualitative or involves co-production. This means I spend a lot of time with young people (and other stakeholders) trying to understand the issues that are important to them.
What is the most challenging or complicated aspect of this work?
Technology is constantly changing and evolving, but research is a slow process. Keeping up to date with the latest technologies that teenagers use, the ways in which they use them, and how this can affect their mental health is a constant challenge!
What impact do you hope your work is having- or can potentially have?
My main aim is to empower adolescents to navigate digital technologies in a way that supports positive mental health outcomes and mitigates against negative ones. I’ve had some success with this; my Body Image in the Digital Age initiative was delivered to thousands of young people, and was found to effectively improve body image and increase social media literacy.
Could you share with us one piece of advice that you follow for your own mental health?
I’m always reminding myself to be kind to myself and to others. If logging onto social media makes you feel bad about yourself, be kind to yourself and log out.