MENTAL HEALTH AND CHILD MARRIAGE: BRINGING AN END TO THE SILENCE
An investigation into the mental health consequences of child marriage and potential solutions.
The aim of this project is to conduct a change-oriented Delphi study to generate consensus and priorities for driving action and response to the under explored mental health impacts of child, early and forced marriage. A number of different stakeholders including global leaders on the topic of child marriage have been invited to participate in several rounds of this study.
Previous research highlights the need to understand the mental health impacts of child marriage, especially within a broader context of associated risk factors in child marriages. These risk factors include chronic poverty, complications as a result of early childbirth, HIV and various forms of abuse.
The Delphi method is well recognised and established in health and policy fields. This method facilitates systematic engagement with perspectives from a wide range of stakeholders, thus advancing existing understandings of complex phenomena. Many have highlighted its potential in the field of mental health in particular.
This project will implement an extension of the traditional Delphi method, called the change-oriented Delphi. This method is suitable for complex and multidimensional problems such as this. Additionally, it aligns with participatory research and supports a more informed consensus due to its qualitative properties.