Self-Harm in Adolescent Tertiary Care: Staff & Service User Views 0.1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Self-Harm in Adolescent Tertiary Care Settings: Staff and Service User Perspectives on Function and Management
IRAS ID
321841
Contact name
Hannah Heath
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Birmingham
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 3 months, 24 days
Research summary
BACKGROUND
Self-harm is where someone deliberately causes harm to themselves through behaviours like cutting or head banging. Self-harm is very common among adolescents, and its prevalence is reportedly much higher within secure youth in-patient settings, due to environmental and personal factors that can heighten risk to self. These settings can be really stressful for young people, and increased self-harm within these settings may lead to accidental death, and difficulty stopping self-harm following discharge. The increase in prevalence can also be difficult for staff to cope with, and limited staff understanding of why patients self-harm can result in feelings of frustration within staff, which may prevent the facilitation of effective care.There is a lack of research on self-harm in adolescents within secure settings, with most studies focusing on adult patients and staff perspectives only. No previous study has explored the views of staff and young patients together. It is important to review their perspectives alongside each other to gather a broader understanding of attitudes towards self-harm within secure settings to extend the available literature and give voice to their unique experiences.
The study aims to address this literature gap through three research questions investigating: the views of in-patients on the function and management of self-harm; the views of ward-based staff on the function and management of self-harm; areas of similarity and difference between both groups.
DESIGN/METHODS
The study aims to individually interview two sample groups: adolescent patients within secure hospitals (n=15) and; ward-based staff within secure hospitals (n=15). This method allows for the collation of their separate views, and the reviewal of areas of similarity and difference between these samples. It is hoped findings may influence existing local training programmes to enhance clinical practice skills and confidence when working with patients who self-harm, ultimately enhancing patient care.REC name
West Midlands - Coventry & Warwickshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
23/WM/0220
Date of REC Opinion
23 Nov 2023
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion