We are delighted to congratulate Midlands MHN DTP fellow Denisse Levermore on the publication of her first research paper, “Dyadic Methods in Parent/Carer–Adolescent Interactions: A 15-Year Systematic Review”, published in Wellcome Open Research. This significant milestone marks an exciting achievement in Denisse’s doctoral journey and highlights her growing contribution to the field of young people’s mental health research.
The publication presents a protocol for a systematic review examining how dyadic research methods have been used to study interactions between parents or carers and adolescents over the past 15 years. Dyadic approaches focus on understanding relationships by examining how two people influence one another, providing valuable insights into family dynamics, emotional wellbeing, and developmental processes.
As the lead author and corresponding author, Denisse played a central role in the development of the study, contributing to its conceptualisation, methodology, data curation, analysis planning, project administration, visualisation, and manuscript preparation. The work was completed in collaboration with colleagues from the University of Warwick and the University of Birmingham.
The review forms the first stage of the wider study, “Mental Health & Relationships during Transition through Adolescence to Adulthood,” which aims to deepen understanding of how relationships with parents, carers, friends, and other significant people shape young people’s mental wellbeing during the transition to adulthood. By identifying methodological strengths, challenges, and gaps in existing research, the review will help inform the design of future studies in this important area.
Denisse’s work addresses a notable gap in the literature. While dyadic methods are increasingly used across psychological and developmental research, there has been no comprehensive review specifically focused on parent/carer–adolescent relationships. This project will provide a valuable synthesis of current approaches and help advance future research into relational influences on mental health.
Publishing a first paper is a major achievement for any early career researcher, and we are proud to see Denisse making such a strong contribution to the field. Her commitment to improving our understanding of adolescent mental health and family relationships reflects the collaborative and impactful research being undertaken across the Midlands MHN DTP community.
Congratulations, Denisse, on this fantastic accomplishment. We look forward to following the progress of your research and celebrating many more successes in the future.
📖 Levermore D, Cloarec T, Cunneen K et al. (2026), Dyadic Methods in Parent/Carer–Adolescent Interactions: A 15-Year Systematic Review [version 1; peer review: awaiting peer review], Wellcome Open Research.
🗓️ Published: July 2026
🔗 Read the full article here