Mental health research findings are critical for understanding the complexities of mental illness/ mental disorders and developing effective treatments. However, these findings can often be difficult to understand and apply to real-life situations. Technical language, complex statistical analysis, and abstract concepts can all hinder understanding.

A layman reading a research paper on the efficacy of a particular therapy for depression may find it difficult to understand the statistical analysis and technical terms used to describe the study’s results. As a result, they may struggle to relate the study’s findings to their own experience. The information may not be as useful to them as it could be if presented in a more accessible and relatable way.

Fortunately, there are ways to make research results more accessible and useful. In this article, we will discuss a technique that has been proven effective in communicating mental health research findings – using real-life examples.

The Challenge of Understanding Mental Health Research

Understanding mental health research can be difficult due to the dense and technical language used in scientific literature, making it challenging for non-experts to comprehend the data. To fully grasp research findings, specialized knowledge is often necessary, which can create a barrier to accessibility for many individuals. Here are the main challenges to overcome so you can help people meet mental health research with understanding:

Technical Language & Statistics

Researchers often use technical terms, jargon, and statistical measures when describing mental health concepts and research findings. This can be overwhelming and confusing for those unfamiliar with the field.

Terms like “dysthymia,” “anxiety disorder,” and “psychotic disorder” may be unfamiliar to individuals without a background in mental health, as well as p-values, effect sizes, and confidence intervals when explaining data analysis.

Difficulty Applying to Real-Life Situations

Another challenge when communicating research findings is that people may have difficulty relating the data to their lives and mental health needs. Without a real-world context for these abstract concepts, it can be difficult for individuals to understand how the study’s results apply to them or others they know.

Scope and Limitations & Other Nuances

Misunderstanding the scope and limitations of a research study can lead to inaccurate interpretations of its findings, which can harm individuals with mental health disorders or issues. For instance, a study may have limitations, such as only including school-aged children as participants in measuring children’s mental health. Not being able to understand these nuances can lead to misunderstanding the research.

To make mental health research more accessible, researchers should consider using visual aids such as graphs and charts to present findings or providing plain-language summaries of research results. It is also important to disclose the scope and limitations of research and any potential confounding factors.

Identifying stories to tell your audience

Storytelling or real-life examples has been used throughout history to share information, impart wisdom, and convey values. It is a powerful tool that can help us make sense of the world around us and connect with others on an emotional level.

There are many strategies to use in making research findings more accessible for everyone, each of them addressing key challenges. But this article focuses on the power of storytelling and how it can be used to illustrate research findings.

In terms of which stories to tell, there are plenty of options. You can opt to use your own experiences, or you can use stories from other people. This can include stories of your clients, someone you know, a celebrity or someone your audience could recognize, or even stories of your colleague’s experiences with their clients. Just be sure that they are relevant to the topic and that you’ve either asked for permission or shared it in a way that does not identify the person in the story.

Using Real-life stories to explain complex mental health research

Now that you’ve identified the type of stories you can tell and somehow know how to source them, the next step is to link this story with mental health research findings.

To make the data more meaningful and relatable, use real-life stories as illustrative examples of the research in action. For example, if you are discussing a study on cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for depression or other behavioral disorders, you could use a story of a client who has seen improvement in their symptoms after attending CBT sessions. While narrating, you can inject bits and pieces of the study’s findings.

The key here is to be mindful of how you present the story and data so that your audience knows which parts are from the story and which are from the research. A good way to do this is by using phrases such as “in a recent study” or “according to research” when referencing the research findings.

This helps to provide context and relevance to the research findings and makes it easier for the audience to understand, remember, and apply it in their own lives. It also allows them to imagine how similar changes might be experienced by someone they know and care about who is struggling with serious mental illness.

Bridging the Gap Between Mental Health Research and Everyday Understanding

Using real-life examples to illustrate mental health research findings has numerous benefits. Providing concrete examples of how mental health concepts manifest in people’s lives can help individuals better understand them, leading to promoting mental health for everyone.

Not only do real-life stories help people relate to these concepts from ongoing research, but they also hook the audience in and engage them even more. This level of engagement makes people more open to the research insights you are about to share.

More than ever before, it is important for us to use our resources – including research findings – to support people in improving their mental health conditions and their behavioral health. As we strive for better mental health awareness and understanding, it is important to remember the valuable resources available to us, such as the National Institute of Mental Health, which provides research-based information and resources to support public health initiatives. Let us continue to work together to promote mental health and well-being for all.

Leave a comment if we missed anything. Thank you so much for reading and please share this article with your networks. Let’s work together to make mental health research findings more accessible and usable daily!