Self-Harm Awareness Day takes place around the world on 1st March every year to raise awareness and dispel myths around this often-misunderstood issue. To mark the event this year, MindTech researchers Dr Jo Lockwood and Dr Camilla Babbage joined other experts in the field presenting at the self-harm and suicide prevention charity Harmless’ 8th annual conference, ‘From Harm To Hope’.
Self-harm (any act of self-poisoning or self-injury irrespective of motivation or intention (NICE, 2022) is a prevalent and serious mental health problem affecting around 1 in 5 young people and a particular concern among adolescent girls. Jo and Camilla presented their current research around co-developing digital resources and approaches to support young people affected by self-harm and suicide, and those working with and caring for them.
In their first talk to a mixed audience of professionals from health, education and social care sectors, they described their work co-developing a new digital tool (CaTS-App) to facilitate shared understanding, assessment and intervention for self-harm. This work is part of Digital Youth – a multidisciplinary UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded collaborative programme of research, developing practical solutions through understanding the complex risks and opportunities for mental health associated with young people’s engagement with the digital world. The app is based on an existing research tool - the Card Sort Task for Self-harm (CaTS), developed by Professor Ellen Townsend and Digital Youth co-PI. Using the app in collaboration with a practitioner, young people will be supported to tell the story of their self-harm by mapping over time the complex pattern of thoughts, feelings and events involved in the build-up to a self-harm episode. The CaTS-App is being co-developed with expertise from professionals and young people with lived experience, and in partnership with Sprouting Minds, a young people’s advisory group linked to Digital Youth.
At this early development stage Jo and Camilla are keen to talk to frontline practitioners to understand how, when and where in the care pathway the tool may be most feasibly employed. Please see below for how to get involved in this.
Jo, Camilla and their former MSc Mental Health: Research & Practice student Elina Matter, also presented their work around understanding the experiences and needs of parents caring for a young person with self-harm and suicidal behaviour. Supported by funding from the Institute of Policy and Engagement, this work has included the establishment of a parent steering group, involvement workshops, and research focus groups and interviews with parents who care for young people with suicidal ideation and attempt. Recognising the important role informal caregivers provide in supporting a young person at a time of crisis, whilst understanding the social, financial, emotional and physical impact this can have on parents themselves is an emerging area of research. Developments and resources in this field have the potential to improve the lives of all the family. Parents taking part in this research have said “It is almost a relief to know others are going through a similar experience and often coping, dealing, and feeling similar to myself (not that I would wish this upon anyone). Already today a few discussions have helped my further understanding on self harming and how better to move forward with my child and my own way of dealing with this.” Jo and Camilla are now moving into co-development of resources, dissemination of findings and wider collaboration with international partners trailblazing work in this area.
Jo and Camilla are keen to connect with anyone interested in either of their projects. Anyone interested in research into the needs of parents and carers of young people who self harm is invited to get involved. Register your details and our researchers will be in touch.
You can also register your interest in the CaTS-APP project if you’d like to hear more or get involved.
Image credit: Harmless UK