Abstract
Background: Despite self-injury being relatively common, there is little agreement as to how it should be described or understood. Proposed explanations focus on self-injury as negative behaviour and pay little attention to the meanings for those involved. Here, we examine how self-injury is negotiated in online discussions. Methods: Threads from three online discussion
boards were selected for analysis. These data were analysed using discourse analysis, to examine how contributors interactionally negotiated the meanings of self-injury and the identities that resulted. Findings: Contributors commonly evaluated self-injury in terms that were positive or potentially positive rather than describing it as problematic. Where self-injury was described as problematic, it was attributed to failure on the part of others rather than of
the individuals themselves. Discussion: In these contexts, individuals who self-injure resist being accountable for harmful behaviours. The resulting identities pose challenges for interventions designed to reduce instances of self-injury.
boards were selected for analysis. These data were analysed using discourse analysis, to examine how contributors interactionally negotiated the meanings of self-injury and the identities that resulted. Findings: Contributors commonly evaluated self-injury in terms that were positive or potentially positive rather than describing it as problematic. Where self-injury was described as problematic, it was attributed to failure on the part of others rather than of
the individuals themselves. Discussion: In these contexts, individuals who self-injure resist being accountable for harmful behaviours. The resulting identities pose challenges for interventions designed to reduce instances of self-injury.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 276-276 |
Number of pages | 1 |
Journal | Psychology & Health |
Volume | 27 |
Issue number | Supp. 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2012 |
Event | “Resiliance and Health” : 26th Conference of the European Health Psychology Society - Prague, Czech Republic Duration: 21 Aug 2012 → 25 Aug 2012 |