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Abstract Background While Patient and Public Involvement (PPI) is encouraged throughout the research process, engagement is typically limited to intervention design and post-analysis stages. There are few approaches to participatory data analyses within complex health interventions. Methods Using qualitative data from a feasibility randomised controlled trial (RCT), this proof-of-concept study tests the value of a new approach to participatory data analysis called Participatory Theme Elicitation (PTE). Forty excerpts were given to eight members of a youth advisory PPI panel to sort into piles based on their perception of related thematic content. Using algorithms to detect communities in networks, excerpts were then assigned to a thematic cluster that combined the panel members’ perspectives. Network analysis techniques were also used to identify key excerpts in each grouping that were then further explored qualitatively. Results While PTE analysis was, for the most part, consistent with the researcher-led analysis, young people also identified new emerging thematic content. Conclusions PTE appears promising for encouraging user led identification of themes arising from qualitative data collected during complex interventions. Further work is required to validate and extend this method. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, ID: NCT02455986 . Retrospectively Registered on 21 May 2015.