The stress of prioritizing the future: using video diaries and interviews to understand the everyday pressures experiencedby adolescent girls

Evidence suggests that adolescent girls are struggling in everyday life, possibly contributing to rising mental health difficulties in this group. A better understanding of their situation is required, yet accessing their daily lives is challenging. This study adopted a novel approach, combining Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis with mobile-phone video diaries to explore how adolescent girls experience and make sense of their everyday lives, with a particular focus on what matters most to them. Participants aged 16–17 recorded diaries for two-weeks and were interviewed about the areas identified. Three themes: Sacrificing now under the weight of the future, The future is coming frighteningly fast and I’m not ready to be an adult and Don’t relax: struggling with relentless pressure and worry, reveal anguish caused by constantly looking towards the future, bringing a new perspective to this area and highlighting the need to help adolescent girls create space and value in their lives.