This article contributes to social work methodological discussions by examining narrative feminist research in action. Our discussion considers our conceptualization and use of narrative feminist research, which is appreciative of intersectionality. We draw illustrative examples from four projects: (1) In the Name of Love, Women's Narratives

Objective Mental illness is a common medical condition to onset during adolescence. Young people who leave for postsecondary life are at an especially challenging period of lifetime when many will leave home and familiar environments for prolonged periods of time. These new circumstances may put young people at risk of developing mental health problems or disorders or exacerbate existing mental disorders. Alternatively, some young people may misinterpret the normal negative emotional states occurring as a result of these new challenges as a mental disorder requiring professional intervention. We conducted a quasiexperimental cohort study to investigate the effectiveness of a mental health literacy intervention Transitions with blended life skills to address these challenges for first-year postsecondary students. Methods Students ( n = 2,397) from five Canadian postsecondary institutions were assigned to the intervention or the control group and were administered a survey at baseline, postintervention, and at 2-month follow-up (September 2017 to February 2018). We applied generalized linear mixed effects (PROC Mixed procedure) to test the between-group difference in the post—pre/follow-up—pre and to determine the predicted least-square mean values. Results The findings showed that students who were exposed to the Transitions intervention significantly improved their mental health knowledge, decreased stigma against mental illness, improved help-seeking attitudes and behaviours, and decreased perceived stress when compared to students who had not been exposed to the intervention. However, we did not identify significant changes in general health. This may be due to the relatively short follow-up time (2 months) to determine participants’ general health status. Conclusions Transitions delivered to first-year postsecondary students may be a beneficial intervention to help young people adjust to their new postsecondary life and improve their mental health.

Among women who give birth, roughly half describe their birth experiences as traumatic. Childbirth trauma is a topic of growing global interest for health and mental health professions. However, social work remains peripheral in this emerging area of scholarship and practice. This article presents a portion of findings from recent feminist narrative social work research exploring women’s narratives of their experiences of emotional distress in childbirth to illustrate the need for increased professional engagement with this important social issue. Analysis of participants’ narratives illustrates how Foucault’s discourse and power/knowledge can be useful in understanding the subtle social forces that shape birth experiences which may result in emotional distress. In this article, I argue the topic of childbirth distress falls within the reproductive rights framework and should be of importance to social workers. The findings presented below are discussed in the context of the International Federation of Social Workers’ ethical principles and its policy statement on women to support this position.

Reporting on the development of an ongoing qualitative research project with clients of midwifery care in New Brunswick, Canada, this article details the ways that methodology is complexly interwoven with political praxis. Working through the development of this project, this article models one way to enact politically engaged feminist research at each stage of the research process, from developing the research question, through research design, data collection, analysis, and theory generation. In the process, three core principles of feminist research methodologies are extended: co-construction of knowledge, researcher reflexivity, and reciprocal relationships in research. This research is caught up in and responds to a fraught political context where supports for reproductive healthcare are limited, and midwifery, abortion, and gender-affirming care are all framed as “fringe” services that exceed the austerity budget of the province. Participants engaged in this study with a clear understanding of this political terrain and approached interviews as an opportunity to share their experiences, and to advocate for the continuation and expansion of midwifery and related services in the province. Through the research process, it has become evident that midwifery must be understood as part of the struggle toward reproductive justice in this province. These reflections will direct further stages of the project, including ongoing research and dissemination.

Objective: This qualitative study explored post-secondary students' perceptions of cannabis use on students' health, academic pursuits, and social lives, and investigated how these issues have been impacted by the legalization of recreational cannabis. Participants: 20 undergraduate students at a small liberal arts university in Atlantic Canada participated in this study. Methods: Semi-structured interviews were used to learn more about student perceptions of cannabis. Interview transcripts were analyzed using general thematic analysis. Results: Students in this study report using cannabis in thoughtful ways, balancing various considerations in terms of health, social connections, and academics. They were aware that cannabis is not a risk-free drug and took some steps to manage risks. Conclusion: Knowing why young adults believe they use cannabis is information for university professionals who want to develop effective harm reduction campaigns.