Year: 2011
Type: report
Abstract: This report addresses the rapid increase in rates of deliberate self-harm (DSH), particularly amongst young people, in the South West of England. We discuss a recent audit of suicide and self-harm figures released by the South West Public Health Observatory (2010) in relation to the extant literature on DSH. Much of this literature is dominated by a medical model, and is characterised by a diverse range of terminologies, definitions, categories, approaches and understandings about DSH, however a small but growing body of sociological, social psychological and ethnographic work also exists. A number of interventions have been proposed or trialled in recent years; however these have been largely led by health providers rather than target populations. We argue that the self-harm reduction agenda would benefit from an investigation of the attitudes and beliefs of those at risk of, or actively self-harming, and furthermore, that this calls for a research strategy that combines both quantitative and qualitative approaches. This should be coupled with a focus on determining the information needs and support mechanisms preferred by specific segments of self-harmers.
Authors: Yvette Morey, Lynne Eagle, Julia Verne, Helen Cook
Language: English
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W111441444