A Day in the Life of a Young Person with Anxiety: Arts-Based Boundary Objects Used to Communicate the Results of Health Research

Abstract

In this article we outline the creation of boundary objects as just one of the means to communicate the results of the Youth's Voices research study that sought to understand young people's experiences of living with anxiety. Fifty-eight young people living with anxiety took part in open-ended interviews complemented by photovoice. As one knowledge translation strategy, themes emerging from the data were transformed into boundary objects of a series of video vignettes representing dance interpretations of the themes. The video vignettes revealed meaningful interpretations of the young people's experiences, creating the potential for enhanced empathy and understanding, and reduced stigma for young people living with anxiety. The creation of boundary objects affords the opportunity to communicate the experiences of young people living with anxiety to a wider audience of policy makers, health care practitioners, researchers, as well as the general community.