A qualitative analysis of perceptions of self‐harm in members of the general public

Beliefs About One's Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: The Experiences of Self-Injury Questionnaire (ESIQ)

OBJECTIVE

The goal of this study was to develop and validate a measure of self-rated positive and negative beliefs about one's non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the Experiences of Self-Injury Questionnaire (ESIQ).

METHOD

Psychometric properties and validation against NSSI severity and shame were tested in two U.S. and two U.K. samples of individuals who endorsed a history of NSSI.

RESULTS

Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses indicated five factors. Subscales were labeled Positive Beliefs, Personal Dislike, Interpersonal Concern, Emotional Suppression, and Emotional Expression. The Positive Beliefs Subscale covers beliefs that NSSI is valuable. Scores on this subscale were associated with endorsement of NSSI frequency, NSSI urges, and perceived likelihood of future NSSI. Other subscales showed validity in that they all showed unique effects on outcome indices of NSSI severity or shame.

CONCLUSION

The ESIQ shows promise as a brief reliable measure of beliefs about and experiences of NSSI.

Unveiling self-harm behaviour: what can social media site Twitter tell us about self-harm? A qualitative exploration

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To report the findings from a unique analysis of naturally occurring data regarding self-harm behaviour generated through the global social media site, Twitter.

BACKGROUND

Self-harm behaviours are of global concern for health and social care practice. However, little is known about the experiences of those who harm and the attitudes of the general public towards such behaviours. A deeper, richer and more organic understanding of this is vital to informing global approaches to supporting individuals through treatment and recovery.

DESIGN

Exploratory, qualitative design.

METHODS

Three hundred and sixty-two Twitter messages were subject to inductive thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Five themes were identified: (1) celebrity influence, (2) self-harm is not a joke (with subthemes of you wouldn't laugh if you loved me and you think it's funny, I think it's cruel), (3) support for and from others, (4) eating disorders and self-harm and (5) videos and personal stories.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings indicate that self-harm behaviour continues to be largely misunderstood by the general public and is often the source of ridicule which may contribute to delays in accessing treatment. Whilst Twitter may also provide a source of valuable support for those who self-harm, the sense of community, relatedness and understanding generated by such support may contribute to normalising self-harm and perpetuating the behaviours.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

Our understanding of the complexity of and aetiology and most effective treatment options for self-harm behaviours is still unclear. The findings demonstrate that there is a critical opportunity to conduct further qualitative research to better understand self-harm and to use these valuable and internationally relevant data to support the development of effective public education campaigns and personally tailored treatment options.