Dr Lucy Foulkes
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lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Dr Lucy Foulkes
@lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
8.5K followers 790 following 1.1K posts
Psychologist at University of Oxford | Adolescence + mental health

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lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Dr Lucy Foulkes @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social · Jul 14
My book Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us is out in paperback now

www.penguin.co.uk/books/451093...
Cover of Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us by Lucy Foulkes. Out now in paperback
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
NEW PAPER from me and colleagues, reviewing negative effects found to date in universal school mental health interventions and considering what should happen next

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

brief thread below
Potential harm from universal school-based mental health interventions: Candidate mechanisms and future directions Abstract Universal school-based mental health interventions involve lessons delivered to whole classes of young people irrespective of need, with the overall aim of improving mental health literacy, preventing mental health problems and/or reducing those that have already started. A number of high-quality trials show that universal interventions can have a range of negative effects, with participants in the intervention group experiencing worsening mental health or other negative outcomes. In this review, we summarise what we know so far about these negative effects, which we refer to as ‘potential harm’. Two important questions remain poorly understood. First, the mechanisms driving potential harm are unknown, including whether negative effects are driven by reporting phenomena, the content of the intervention itself, or both. Second, individual differences in susceptibility to these effects is unclear. In the second half of the paper, we explore whether further universal trials should be run and argue that, if they are, the crucial issue of negative effects must be considered at all stages. In particular, we recommend that trials be designed in such a way to test mechanisms and individual differences in response. Information can then be provided to schools and policymakers about why young people might respond in different ways to an intervention, and how to support vulnerable students. Ultimately, this will lead to more effective and less harmful interventions for everyone.
October 23, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
barrywright.bsky.social
Interesting findings from the MYRIAD mindfulness school trial with large number of young people followed up from pre-intervention to 12m. 69%-80% had few emotional well-being problems across times, 11%-23% stable high-problem trajectories, 2%-16% worsening problems & 1%-5% decreasing problems.
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social Dr Lucy Foulkes @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social · Oct 10
Our key finding was that having mindfulness lessons (vs being in the control group) didn’t predict which of these trajectory groups a student would end up in

There was variety in students’ mental health trajectories, it just didn’t link to whether they'd been in the mindfulness vs control group
October 15, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
bradleydstein.bsky.social
Really important research about a school mental health intervention. Studies without significant findings often have a hard time getting published, but its just as important to know what interventions don't seem to have a significant benefit as knowing what interventions do.
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social Dr Lucy Foulkes @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social · Oct 10
New paper from my group, led by Carolina Guzman Holst

This is a secondary analysis of data from the high-quality MYRIAD trial, a universal school-based mindfulness intervention

Summary below (🧵)

acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Adolescents' trajectories of mental health in the MYRIAD trial Abstract Background This study explored adolescent's mental health trajectories over the course of a school-based mindfulness-based intervention trial (MYRIAD). It examined whether intervention condition (mindfulness vs. teaching-as-usual), individual-level and contextual-level factors were associated with different trajectories. Methods This pre-registered study used data from 11- to 14-year-olds who participated in the MYRIAD trial. We used growth mixture models to examine distinct trajectories in risk for depression, social-emotional-behavioural functioning, and wellbeing (co-primary outcomes), and anxiety (secondary outcome), across pre-intervention, post-intervention and 12-month follow up (ns = 7198–7727). We then used multinomial and binomial logistic regression models to examine factors associated with individual trajectory membership. Results Distinct trajectories emerged for each outcome: A five-trajectory model best explained the changes in risk for depression, whilst four-trajectory models best explained changes in social-emotional-behavioural functioning, wellbeing, and anxiety. While 69%–80% of adolescents followed stable low-problem trajectories for each outcome, 11%–23% experienced stable high-problem trajectories, 2%–16% experienced increasing-problem trajectories and 1%–5% experienced decreasing-problem trajectories. Receiving the mindfulness intervention was not associated with any mental health trajectory in models adjusted for confounders. Several individual-level factors, including executive functioning difficulties and risk of mental health problems at baseline, and school-level factors, such as school climate, predicted adolescents' classification into different trajectories, but they did not vary according to intervention group. Conclusions Individual differences in mental health trajectories emerged over the course of a 1-year mindfulness-based intervention, with most adolescents experiencing low-stable problem trajectories for each outcome. However, the intervention itself had no impact on individual trajectory membership, mirroring null results found in the main trial. Our findings suggest that universal interventions may not be sensitive enough to address the diverse needs of all students, however, tailoring interventions to address a range of different individual and contextual factors might maximise their impact.
October 15, 2025 at 12:22 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
susanebbels.bsky.social
Read this thread if you are unsure what DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) is

#DevLangDis
wordaware.bsky.social Word Aware @wordaware.bsky.social · Sep 29
#DLDday is coming, so I’m starting a thread over a few days.

DLD (Developmental Language Disorder) is all about spoken language. Words and sentences are tricky for people with DLD. And people don’t grow out of it.
#DevLangDis @radld.bsky.social
October 10, 2025 at 3:29 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
New paper from my group, led by Carolina Guzman Holst

This is a secondary analysis of data from the high-quality MYRIAD trial, a universal school-based mindfulness intervention

Summary below (🧵)

acamh.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Adolescents' trajectories of mental health in the MYRIAD trial Abstract Background This study explored adolescent's mental health trajectories over the course of a school-based mindfulness-based intervention trial (MYRIAD). It examined whether intervention condition (mindfulness vs. teaching-as-usual), individual-level and contextual-level factors were associated with different trajectories. Methods This pre-registered study used data from 11- to 14-year-olds who participated in the MYRIAD trial. We used growth mixture models to examine distinct trajectories in risk for depression, social-emotional-behavioural functioning, and wellbeing (co-primary outcomes), and anxiety (secondary outcome), across pre-intervention, post-intervention and 12-month follow up (ns = 7198–7727). We then used multinomial and binomial logistic regression models to examine factors associated with individual trajectory membership. Results Distinct trajectories emerged for each outcome: A five-trajectory model best explained the changes in risk for depression, whilst four-trajectory models best explained changes in social-emotional-behavioural functioning, wellbeing, and anxiety. While 69%–80% of adolescents followed stable low-problem trajectories for each outcome, 11%–23% experienced stable high-problem trajectories, 2%–16% experienced increasing-problem trajectories and 1%–5% experienced decreasing-problem trajectories. Receiving the mindfulness intervention was not associated with any mental health trajectory in models adjusted for confounders. Several individual-level factors, including executive functioning difficulties and risk of mental health problems at baseline, and school-level factors, such as school climate, predicted adolescents' classification into different trajectories, but they did not vary according to intervention group. Conclusions Individual differences in mental health trajectories emerged over the course of a 1-year mindfulness-based intervention, with most adolescents experiencing low-stable problem trajectories for each outcome. However, the intervention itself had no impact on individual trajectory membership, mirroring null results found in the main trial. Our findings suggest that universal interventions may not be sensitive enough to address the diverse needs of all students, however, tailoring interventions to address a range of different individual and contextual factors might maximise their impact.
October 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
vaughanbell.bsky.social
New from us:

Understanding the countermovement to online presentations of psychiatric disorder that are perceived as "faked" www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

A huge online movement tries to identify people they feel are 'faking' mental illness for reasons of self-promotion.
Understanding the countermovement to online presentations of psychiatric disorder that are perceived as
The self-presentation of psychiatric disorders on social media has generated a countermovement of sceptics who believe some are “faked” for reasons of self-promotion. This has been the focus of a R...
www.tandfonline.com
September 15, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
isaacahuvia.bsky.social
Forthcoming in CPS (@psychscience.bsky.social): Are mental illness identities helpful? Harmful? Can thinking you have a mental illness become a “self-fulfilling prophecy”... and how would this happen?

doi.org/10.1177/2167...

🧵⬇️
The Mental Illness Self-Labeling Model: A Conceptual Model for Studying the Effects of Mental-Illness Self-Labeling on Clinical Outcomes - Isaac L. Ahuvia, Bruce G. Link, 2025
Self-labeling with a mental illness, for example, deciding that one “has depression,” has the potential to affect clinical outcomes through multiple cognitive a...
doi.org
September 6, 2025 at 3:14 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
My book Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us is out in paperback now

www.penguin.co.uk/books/451093...
Cover of Coming Of Age: How Adolescence Shapes Us by Lucy Foulkes. Out now in paperback
July 14, 2025 at 1:58 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
I had no idea about this list so this was such a nice surprise when a pal spotted this and sent it to me yesterday 🥹 — Coming Of Age is one of the Guardian’s best paperbacks out this month

www.theguardian.com/books/ng-int...
The Guardian This month’s best paperbacks July
July 7, 2025 at 9:19 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
I've had some really helpful messages on Instagram about this - resharing here in case it can reach more people
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social Dr Lucy Foulkes @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social · Jul 4
How do autistic young people experience universal mental health interventions at school?

Please read/share this 🙏

A mum recently got in touch with me to share a story about her autistic daughter’s experience of mental health lessons in school

(🧵)
July 4, 2025 at 2:40 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
How do autistic young people experience universal mental health interventions at school?

Please read/share this 🙏

A mum recently got in touch with me to share a story about her autistic daughter’s experience of mental health lessons in school

(🧵)
July 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Help! Can someone familiar with the methodology used below (in the APMS) please help me understand something?

These stats are shocking and I'm keen to understand what counts as having a common MH condition

(query cont below)

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
One in four young people in England have mental health condition, NHS survey finds
Rates are higher in young women as in young men and mental ill health up across age groups, study shows
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2025 at 11:26 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
I may have missed the poster timings but if you’re at #ESCAP2025, go chat to Nina about self-diagnosis!
nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social Dr Nina Higson-Sweeney @nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social · Jun 30
After an embarrassingly long time spent on my tiptoes trying to put this up…we’re ready! Come and chat with me at D2.043 about the two studies I am conducting with @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social on self-diagnosis. I am also on the conference app if you can’t find me and want to chat! #ESCAP2025
June 30, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
ncrenic.bsky.social
I am once again pitching my romantic comedy:

- two academics start dating
- discover they are each other's terrible reviewer
- hijinks ensue

Working title: Love is Double-Blind
June 18, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
drrachelclarke.com
This is a dream come true, a once in a lifetime honour. I am so utterly thrilled to have won the 2025 @womensprize.bsky.social for Non-Fiction.

Heartfelt thanks to everyone who gave me such generous support in writing The Story of a Heart, especially Max & Keira’s incredible, wonderful families 🩷🫁🫀
Women’s prize trophy & photo of book of story of a heart
June 13, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
seiaraimanova.bsky.social
This was a conversation I'd been so excited for, and it didn't disappoint! It was such a pleasure having Dr. @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social on Behind the Stigma Podcast last week to talk all things Adolescent Mental Health. Listen here: www.buzzsprout.com/1402324/epis...
June 13, 2025 at 9:16 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
This is really important: if you want to disseminate information beyond academia, you really need to be creating very short, very engaging posts – ideally videos – for Instagram and TikTok.

I have spend the last 4 months figuring out how to do this, and...

(cont)
June 12, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Can anyone help:

What are some good papers/resources about adolescent development in the context of neurodivergence and autism? Like puberty, transition to secondary school, increased interest in peers, increased independence but in context of neurodivergence - what has been written about this?
June 10, 2025 at 8:02 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Can anyone help:

What are some good papers/resources about adolescent development in the context of neurodivergence and autism? Like puberty, transition to secondary school, increased interest in peers, increased independence but in context of neurodivergence - what has been written about this?
June 10, 2025 at 8:02 AM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
carorowland.bsky.social
Brilliant thread and replies here about how difficult it is to get messages across that contradict people's own views/biases. This resonates with my own experiences with practitioners and policy makers as well as general public. Referenced Guardian article here www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
June 9, 2025 at 10:58 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Very grateful that someone has coherently summed this up in a 2 min video! Recommended ⬇️
nytimes.com The New York Times @nytimes.com · Jun 6
Ryan Mac has covered Elon Musk for years and was co-author of a book about him, but he’s never seen anything quite like this. He describes what set off the meltdown in Musk and President Trump’s relationship. https://trib.al/Ptxv3dY
June 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
I’m looking for a small number of secondary schools to help us with a research study exploring self-diagnosis of mental health problems in young people

For more info or to express interest, please email @nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social:

nina.higson-sweeney [at] psych.ox.ac.uk

Or DM us! Thank you 🙏🏼
Secondary schools! Can you help? We're looking for research participants We're looking for UK secondary schools to help us with a project about self-diagnosis. For more info or to express interest, please DM me or email Nina at nina.higson-sweeney@psych.ox.ac.uk
June 6, 2025 at 12:29 PM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
great postdoc opportunity in a lovely place with people doing v important and thoughtful work on health, mental health and employment
annieirvine.bsky.social Annie Irvine @annieirvine.bsky.social · Jun 4
Are you a post-doctoral researcher with strong qualitative skills, a critical mind and a love for digging into the complexities of how people navigate work and health? Check out our vacancy at the Uni of York School for Business and Society: jobs.york.ac.uk/vacancy/rese... @uoysbs.bsky.social
Jobs - The University of York
jobs.york.ac.uk
June 4, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Reposted by Dr Lucy Foulkes
jacquicroftie.bsky.social
Bad pain day means I get to read this, rather than wash the kitchen floor. Thanks, @lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
Picture of a book by Dr Lucy Foulkes called Coming of Age: How adolescence shapes us
June 4, 2025 at 10:34 AM
lucyfoulkes.bsky.social
This is a great scheme for mental health ECRs! Details/apply below
nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social Dr Nina Higson-Sweeney @nhigsonsweeney.bsky.social · Jun 3
You have 6 DAYS LEFF to apply to BRIDGE, a 6-month peer mentoring scheme for ECRs to facilitate global collaborations in mental health research!

It is free, remote, and focused in skills development, social support, and cross-cultural networking 👉🏽 mentalhealthresearch.org.uk/bridge/
June 3, 2025 at 12:37 PM