A mixed-methods exploration of young adults’ informal support of friends experiencing mental health challenges

About the Project

The Faculty of Science and Engineering at Maynooth University are pleased to announce that a Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship in the department of Psychology will be available for a suitably qualified and successful applicant intending to commence their PhD studies in September/October 2026.

PhD Title: A mixed-methods exploration of young adults’ informal support of friends experiencing mental health challenges.

Supervisor: The successful candidate will work under the supervision of Dr Sadhbh Byrne on a project which aims to explore young adults' experiences of providing informal mental health (MH) support to friends.

Value of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The award is fully funded for four years, commencing September/October 2026 and running to completion in September 2030. The following funding is available:

• Student stipend: €25,000 per annum
• Annual Tuition Fees Support

Duration of Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Award

The scholarship is awarded for four years of full-time study, subject to satisfactory annual academic progression.

Project Description

Youth mental health (MH) difficulties are increasing globally, yet many young people do not access formal support. Instead, friends are the preferred and most frequently-accessed source of help. Despite this, the perspectives of young adults as informal MH support-providers have received remarkably little research attention. The limited extant literature suggests support-giving can be both enriching and burdensome, but is characterised by predominantly female samples, leaving gender variation almost entirely unexamined. This is a significant omission, as broader research suggests that gender may shape experiences of mental health challenges, norms and expectations in friendships, and help-seeking behaviour, all of which plausibly influence the support-giving experience. This PhD will generate a comprehensive, theoretically-grounded understanding of young adults' experiences of providing informal MH support to friends, with systematic attention to gender, and test a refined theoretical model of support-giving in a large-scale national survey.

Mode of Study

Awardees must be resident in Ireland and available to pursue their programme of research on a full-time basis at Maynooth University for four years.

Full eligibility criteria can be found on our website.

Application and Selection Process

Please include the following in your application:

• A personal statement (max. 1,000 words) describing your motivation for the project, relevant research experience, and how your background fits the aims of the scholarship
• Curriculum Vitae (including education, research experience, publications if any)
• Copies of relevant academic transcripts
• Names and contact details of two academic referees

English Language Requirements:

Applicants who are non-native speakers of English must provide evidence of competency meeting Maynooth University's programme-specific requirements.

All eligible candidates will be considered. Applicants may be shortlisted for interview and contacted directly by the Department. Late applications will not be considered.

All Maynooth University Doctoral Scholarship Awards are conditional on approval for registration by the University.

Informal enquiries about the project and supervisory arrangements may be directed to Dr Sadhbh Byrne at Sadhbh.Byrne@mu.ie

Closing date: 5pm on 1st July 2026

Please submit applications by email directly to Dr Sadhbh Byrne at Sadhbh.Byrne@mu.ie.

Please title the subject of your email application as ‘Doctoral Scholarship - Department of Psychology and FSE 2026’.