Non-restrictive interventions to reduce self-harm amongst children in mental health inpatient settings: Systematic review and narrative synthesis

How do people conceptualize self-harm recovery and what helps in adolescence, young and middle adulthood? A qualitative meta-synthesis

OBJECTIVE

Self-harm can be understood as any behavior individuals use to harm themselves, irrespective of motive. Evidence has extensively examined the epidemiology and function of self-harm to the individual, but less is known about the subjective processes underpinning recovery. Such insights could inform therapeutic interventions to better support individuals. The present aim was to synthesize qualitative themes from eligible literature to identify how adolescents, young adults, and those in middle adulthood conceptualize self-harm recovery and the factors impacting this process.

METHODS

Eleven studies were identified from a systematic search of five electronic research databases: PsycINFO, Embase, Medline, Global Health, and CINAHL. Studies were critically appraised using an adapted Critical Appraisal Skills Program tool for qualitative research. A meta-synthesis was conducted using reflexive thematic analysis to generate themes across the included studies.

RESULTS

Themes depicted recovery as a multidimensional, nonlinear, and subjective process, characterized by a "push and pull" between states of (re-)engagement and cessation/reduction. Transition between these states was influenced by intrapersonal and interpersonal factors which were embedded in a wider milieu of the meaning of self-harm to the individual.

CONCLUSION

Contemporary ideas of symptom eradication as the only marker of complete recovery may hinder individuals in the long-term, presenting an obstacle both to quality of life and therapeutic progress. Movement away from self-harm recovery as a uniform or singular phenomenon could enhance person-centered care.

Receiving a gift and feeling robbed: a phenomenological study on parents' experiences of Brief Admissions for teenagers who self-harm at risk for suicide

BACKGROUND

Brief Admission by self-referral is a preventive intervention here intended for individuals who recurrently self-harm and have a history of contact with emergency psychiatric services. Individuals with access to Brief Admission are empowered to self-admit to inpatient care for up to three days per stay and are encouraged to do so before experiencing crisis. Brief Admission was implemented relatively recently in child and adolescent psychiatric settings in Sweden. The purpose of this study was to phenomenologically explore the lived experience of parents whose teenagers, who recurrently self-harm and experience suicidal thoughts, use Brief Admissions.

METHODS

This is a qualitative study using phenomenological psychological analysis. We interviewed 17 parents who had experienced their teenagers using Brief Admissions. The interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim and analyzed to arrive at the essential meaning structure of the phenomenon of Brief Admissions for the parent.

RESULTS

We identified two essential meaning structures of the parent's experience of their teenager's use of Brief Admissions: being gifted relief and hope or being robbed of everything you believed in. The experience of Brief Admissions as a gift was structured by the following constituents: 'a sense of safety and containment', 'liberation from a hostage situation', 'a return to wellbeing', and 'catalysts for relational shifts'. In contrast, the constituents of the experience of being robbed included 'a tug of war for control', 'an unworthy wasteland', 'abandonment and collapse of authority', and 'no sense of purpose and plan'.

CONCLUSIONS

Brief Admissions may come across as challenging, futile and painful in the life of the parent, yet they may also support a process of recovery and healthy development for the entire family. To realize the full potential of the intervention, mental health professionals providing Brief Admission must be mindful of the challenges the parent may face as their teenager starts self-admitting, tactfully and sensitively preparing the parent for a new parental role.

Prevenção da autolesão não suicida: construção e validação de material educativo

Resumo Objetivo: elaborar e validar um material educativo para fortalecer a assistência em saúde aos adolescentes sobre a autolesão não suicida. Método: pesquisa metodológica delineada em três etapas: (1) construção do material a partir de estudo misto sobre necessidades ligadas à temática por meio das redes sociais e uma revisão guarda-chuva sobre a assistência relacionada à autolesão não suicida; (2) validação com 10 especialistas em saúde mental e/ou violência autoprovocada selecionados pela Plataforma Lattes; (3) avaliação pelo público-alvo, sendo convidados profissionais de saúde, sem restrição de formação. A coleta dos dados de validação e avaliação foi realizada por um questionário sociodemográfico e o Suitability Assessment of Materials for evaluation of health-related information for adults. Foi empregada a estatística descritiva, índice de validade de conteúdo e o teste AC1 de Gwet. Resultados: o material obteve boa aceitação geral e confiabilidade na validação pelos especialistas (AC1=0,633; p=0,0000) e na avaliação pelo público-alvo (AC1=0,716; p=0,0000). Todos os profissionais apontaram a contribuição pessoal e potencial educativo do material. Conclusão: destaca-se a construção de material educativo embasado em ciência para o fortalecimento da assistência aos adolescentes com autolesão não suicida.

Prevención de las autolesiones no suicidas: construcción y validación de material educativo

Resumen Objetivo: elaborar y validar un material educativo para fortalecer la asistencia en salud a los adolescentes sobre la autolesión no suicida. Método: investigación metodológica delineada en tres etapas: (1) Construcción del material a partir de un estudio mixto sobre las necesidades vinculadas al tema por medio de las redes sociales y una revisión paraguas sobre la asistencia relacionada con la autolesión no suicida; (2) validación con 10 especialistas en salud mental y/o violencia autoprovocada seleccionados por la Plataforma Lattes; (3) Evaluación por parte del público objetivo, siendo invitados profesionales de salud, sin restricción de formación. La recolección de los datos de validación y evaluación fue realizada por un cuestionario sociodemográfico y el Suitability Assessment of Materials for evaluation of health-related information for adults. Se empleó la estadística descriptiva, el índice de validez de contenido y el test AC1 de Gwet. Resultados: el material obtuvo una buena aceptación general y confiabilidad en la validación por parte de los especialistas (AC1=0,633; p = 0,0000) y en la evaluación por el público objetivo (AC1 = 0,716; p=0,0000). Todos los profesionales señalaron la contribución personal y el potencial educativo del material. Conclusión: se destaca la construcción de material educativo basado en ciencia para fortalecer la asistencia a los adolescentes con autolesión no suicida.

Prevention of non-suicidal self-injury: construction and validation of educational material

Objective:

to develop and validate educational material to strengthen adolescent health care on non-suicidal self-injury.

Method:

methodological research designed in three stages: (1) construction of the material based on a mixed study on needs related to the theme through social networks and an umbrella review on health care related to non-suicidal self-injury; (2) validation with 10 experts in mental health and/or self-inflicted violence selected through the Lattes Platform; (3) evaluation by the target public, with health professionals being invited, without restriction of training. Validation and evaluation data were collected by using a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Suitability Assessment of Materials for evaluation of health-related information for adults. We used descriptive statistics, content validity index, and Gwet’s AC1 test.

Results:

the material obtained good general acceptance and reliability in the validation by the experts (AC1= 0.633; p=0.0000) and in the evaluation by the target public (AC1=0.716; p=0.0000). All professionals pointed out the personal contribution and educational potential of the material.

Conclusion:

we highlight the construction of science-based educational material to strengthen the health care for adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury.