Example health and social care dissertation topic 10:

A need for pre-emptive interventions: Dysfunctional body imaging and mental health in adolescent girls in Cyprus.

First noting the rise in mental health problems amongst teenage girls, and how these appear to be linked to body image, this dissertation secondly evaluates the present range of intervention strategies that are used in public and private medical facilities in Cyprus. In so doing it highlights the role of social workers, health care professionals and teachers. Thereafter, it interviews teenagers who have attempted self-harm and seeks comments from them as to how the services available to them could be improved. Societal concerns relating to the pornographication of youth and the pressures put on teenage girls is growing: this dissertation attempts to provide a range of practical solutions to address these worries.

Suggested initial topic reading:

• Crutzen, R. and De Nooijer, J. (2011). ‘Intervening via chat: An opportunity for adolescents’ mental health promotion?’ Health Promotion International, vol. 26(2), pp. 238-243.
• Fontana, D. and Apostolidou, M. (2001). ‘Perspectives of serving teachers on the respective importance of areas deemed suitable for inclusion in the health education curriculum for Cyprus schools’. Health Education Journal, vol. 60(2), pp. 173-183.
• Kokkevi, A., Rotsika, V., Arapaki, A. and Richardson, C. (2011). ‘Adolescents’ self-reported suicide attempts, self-harm thoughts and their correlates across 17 European countries’. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, vol. 53(4), pp. 381-389.