Aoibheann Davis is a second-year Psychology student at Cardiff University. She recently completed a year’s placement at DECIPHer, working on international project FLOURISH.
Prior to beginning my placement with DECIPHer, I looked forward to gaining practical experience in research and applying skills I had developed through the first two years of my Psychology degree. I soon discovered my placement would be so much more than this. I had a variety of opportunities to challenge me, develop my confidence and enhance my understanding of research and the impact it has on the lives of young people and families around the world.
Throughout my placement, I worked on the FLOURISH project. This is an international study focussing on promoting parent-adolescent relationships and adolescents’ mental health through delivering the parenting programme ‘Parenting for Lifelong Health for Teens’ in Moldova and North Macedonia. This project spanned multiple countries, showing me the complexity and importance of maintaining high standards of data quality across several cultural contexts.
I started my placement in September 2025, during phase three of the project. My role was mostly focused on preparing and managing research data. I completed extensive data checking and cleaning as well as creating feedback to be shared internationally. Initially, I found aspects of this challenging. However, I gradually developed an understanding of the research process and put research methods I learned in my Psychology degree into action. This taught me patience, organisation and attention to detail and I became confident using Excel and with interpreting and presenting data. In retrospect, the challenges I faced significantly strengthened my problem-solving skills and independence, which I will carry forward into the final year of my degree.
‘This experience has reinforced my interest and curiosity in research that addresses real-world challenges, like adolescent mental health and family relationships.’
This placement with DECIPHer also exposed me to several unique opportunities. For example, I was able to attend DECIPHer’s Process Evaluation short course, which introduced me to implementation science and evaluation frameworks, providing me with valuable insight into complex intervention development. I was also exposed to wider discussions in global mental health research through lectures and webinars; I learned about parenting interventions, child protection and strategies for expanding mental health support in humanitarian settings.
Perhaps the most significant milestone was presenting research findings about the FLOURISH study at the University of Oxford’s Department of Social Policy and Intervention. This experience became an important lesson in adaptability and challenged me in public speaking. While initially nerve-wracking, ultimately, this opportunity strengthened my skills in presenting and adapting to unpredictable environments.
This placement has enhanced my understanding of research methods and implementation science, helping to develop my professional skills. Simultaneously, this experience guided me in personal growth, extending beyond academia. Importantly, it has reinforced my interest and curiosity in research that addresses real-world challenges, like adolescent mental health and family relationships. Moreover, being involved in research revolving around parenting and adolescent mental health reaffirmed my interest in developmental psychology, reminding me why I was initially interested in working on the project, and further fuelling my enthusiasm for this field of research. Ultimately, this experience has given me confidence in my abilities, as well as a clearer understanding of the impact research has when translated into something meaningful.
