Talking and writing about self-harm: analysing the accounts of young people aged 13-16

Description

Talking and writing about self-harm: analysing the accounts of young people aged 13-16

his seminar will focus on a recently completed study which used a range of qualitative methods to explore the accounts of young people aged 16 and under regarding self-harm, drug and alcohol use. The study builds on previous narrative, life-story research with adults who had self-harmed. The SASH (Social Aspects of Self-Harm) Research Project was completed in July 2014. 6 focus groups were held in Scotland with 33 young people aged 13-16 – in these groups, personal experience of self-harm was not discussed or assumed. Alongside this, a qualitative online survey collected written accounts from 88 people, of whom 73 were aged 13-16. 5 young people took part in interviews. Those taking part in interviews and the survey all identified as having self-harmed. In this talk Amy will draw out a number of common themes which can be identified in how young people talked (or wrote) about self-harm. Comparing the focus group discussions with the survey responses sheds light on important conflicts between public accounts of self-harm and individual explanations. Further, among those who reported self-harm, significant differences were identified in how they explained their own, and others’, self-harm. Overall, the talk will underline the diverse meanings that self-harm can have for young people.

Period	21 Apr 2015
Event type	Seminar
Location	Stirling, United KingdomShow on map