In contemporary society, youth navigate complex intersections of identity and mental health within increasingly digital environments. Qualitative data-analysis (QDA) approaches have been frequently used in this field, enabling a nuanced understanding of the subjective realities of young people. However, there is limited knowledge about how QDA approaches can answer different research questions, and how these in turn relate to different epistemological assumptions. This project explores how different, more orthodox approaches to QDA (such as QCA, TA, GT and NA) can be integrated to investigate different but mutually enriching research questions in this field. In addition, it explores how this informs the development of qualitative research designs. Hence, this study not only advances knowledge withing the field of youth identity and mental health in digital contexts, but also on the use of qualitative research methodology in different social science disciplines more generally.