Bridging Divides is an international, interdisciplinary research project exploring why girls and young women are significantly more likely than boys and young men to experience anxiety and depression. Funded by the Wellcome Trust, we are bringing researchers and young people in London and Tokyo together to investigate how biological, social, and cultural factors - such as hormones, sexism, and societal pressures - interact to shape mental health.

Through co-produced qualitative interviews, large-scale data analysis, and innovative tools like wearable devices and hormone tracking, we aim to understand the gender mental health gap and develop more inclusive, effective approaches to support adolescent wellbeing.

Bridging Divides is led in partnership across King’s College London, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Medical Science, University College London, the McPin Foundation, and the Central Institute of Mental Health, Mannheim. 

Bridging Divides Project

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