Finding harmony within dissonance: Engaging patients, family/caregivers and service providers in research to fundamentally restructure relationships through integrative dynamics

BACKGROUND: Deeply divided ideological positions challenge collaboration when engaging youth with mental disorders, caregivers and providers in mental health research. The integrative dynamics (ID) approach can restructure relationships and overcome 'us vs them' thinking. OBJECTIVE: To assess the extent to which an experience-based co-design (EBCD) approach to patient and family engagement in mental health research aligned with ID processes.