SHLN Youth Research Project
Self-Harm Learning Network Youth Research Project
In collaboration with West Sussex Mind, the e-wellbeing team worked alongside a team of Youth Researchers to explore young people’s experiences of engaging with resources and online services to get support for self-harm. Youth Researchers held a particular focus on types of resources that young people found helpful or unhelpful, as well as barriers that prevent them from accessing support.
The project included two research methods: a survey that received 122 responses from students at the University of Sussex, followed by a focus group with young people to discuss the results and share further insights.
Key insights from the survey
- 58% of young people had looked for information about self-harm online
- On average, young people rated the usefulness of online self-harm resources as 3 out of 10
- The most popular types of online resources were online forums and communities (37%) and crisis helplines (24%)
- The most prominent barriers to accessing self-harm support were stigma around self-harm (37%), difficulty finding relevant information (33%) and lack of awareness about resources (22%)
- The preferred formats for accessing resources were on websites (58%) and social media (42%)
Topics that young people felt are not covered enough in existing resources included:
- Other forms of self-harm - information about experiences such as eating disorders, behavioural self-harm, and addiction; guidance to help people understand that they are self-harming if they aren’t aware; support for adults who self-harm
- Safety and self-care - dangers of infections; building self-confidence about scars; coping with feelings of guilt
- How to support others - talking about it with loved ones; tips for supporting others
- Coping strategies - safer alternatives; advice for what to do when the urge arises; how to make a personalised Safety Plan
- Experiences of recovery - difficulty with recovery (e.g. losing community); what recovery can look like and how it can be different for everyone
Key insights from the focus group
After analysing the survey results, young people were invited to discuss their thoughts about the outcomes and share further insights about experiences of accessing self-harm support online. Key points from the focus group included:
- Young people find it difficult to engage with clinical resources that are too general and text-heavy
- Online communities are popular because young people can relate to others in similar situations, and can choose share experiences anonymously
- There needs to be more awareness of staying safe online when sharing mental health experiences
- Young people would engage better with professional services if they made resources and content that are more relatable and on platforms that young people use (e.g. TikTok)
Watch the full videos here:
Feedback about existing resources
Online communities vs professional services
