2026 is set to be another big year for BrainWaves!
From building on our 24,000 strong cohort of young people in our annual data collection, to our continued research on the impact of the BrainWaves lessons on students’ wellbeing and growing our community of schools and colleges, we are changing the shape of adolescent wellbeing research and education in the UK. Read on to find out about new developments, studies, and plans for this year.
To date, over 24,000 young people aged 16+ have chosen to share their mental health and wellbeing data with us in our annual wellbeing and mental health questionnaire – also known as the Cohort Study.
This year, we are excited to give the first wave of younger students the opportunity to have their voices heard in our 11 – 14 trial, happening from September through to early December. Their input will add to our ever-growing longitudinal data, helping researchers across the world understand the issues and challenges surrounding adolescent wellbeing. he participation of these students will also help their schools and colleges pinpoint exactly where their cohorts need support, highlighted by the report they receive following participation. This, in turn, will allow for greater curriculum personalisation and resource provision, focusing support in key areas.
Our award-winning, ever-growing curriculum now consists of 14 lessons for KS3 (ages 11 – 14), 5 for KS4 (ages 15 – 16) and 6 lessons for KS5 (ages 16 – 18). From September 2026, we will be running a Lesson Impact Study which aims to evaluate the impact of our resources on students’ sense of agency and, in turn, their wellbeing.
Our ultimate intention in developing BrainWaves lessons is that they will have a positive impact on pupils’ mental health. This study will help us understand whether student views about their ability to positively impact their wellbeing can be influenced through education and how such a change relates to established constructs such as ‘growth mindset’ and ‘self-efficacy’.
BrainWaves currently has funding secured for these core studies. However, we have the potential to develop interventions and expand scientific knowledge into other areas, including attendance, special educational needs and sports performance, exploring their relationship with adolescent wellbeing. If you are able to support us, you can donate using the link at the top of the page. Your generosity will directly fuel vital work advancing our understanding of adolescent mental health and wellbeing.
If you’re a school or college and you’d like to participate in any of the studies mentioned above, please email support@brainwaveshub.org to find out more.
