Our Cohort Study
Bridging academic theory and real-world practice: Our study of 24,000+ participants continues to expand each year, ensuring diverse young voices shape the future of mental health and wellbeing.
BrainWaves Cohort Study
Led by researchers at the University of Oxford, the BrainWaves Cohort Study provides a robust framework for investigating adolescent mental health through a longitudinal lens. By tracking the cohort annually, the study generates high-quality data that move beyond cross-sectional snapshots to identify critical developmental trends, risk factors, and protective mechanisms.
We provide the academic and wider community secure access to the curated datasets through our Trusted Research Environment (TRE), enabling sophisticated analysis of changes over time and the ecological factors shaping young lives. Our goal is to provide researchers with the data and software needed to develop enhanced scientific understanding that bridges the traditional gap between academic theory and real-world application.
Crucially, this study is ensuring that high-quality research is not just published, but practiced. By incorporating longitudinal data into evidence-based interventions and whole-institution wellbeing strategies, BrainWaves offers researchers a rare opportunity to directly inform practice and shape policy, improving mental health outcomes for the next generation.
Hear from our participating Research Partners
We are excited to play a small part in a significant research project which is an excellent opportunity to empower our students, ensure their voices are heard and support the development of meaningful mental health strategies across the UK.
Senior Leader, Huddersfield New College
BrainWaves has been really formative in allowing staff to understand how are students are actually doing in school from their perspective. In order to tailor our PSHE provision to our students, knowing the areas that they might be struggling with rather than guessing has been instrumental.
BrainWaves Lead, St Paul’s Girls’ School