TY - JOUR PY - 2018// TI - What do young adolescents think about taking part in longitudinal self-harm research? Findings from a school-based study JO - Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health A1 - Lockwood, Joanna A1 - Townsend, Ellen A1 - Royes, Leonie A1 - Daley, David A1 - Sayal, Kapil SP - e23 EP - e23 VL - 12 IS - N2 - BACKGROUND: Research about self-harm in adolescence is important given the high incidence in youth, and strong links to suicide and other poor outcomes. Clarifying the impact of involvement in school-based self-harm studies on young adolescents is an ethical priority given heightened risk at this developmental stage.

METHODS: Here, 594 school-based students aged mainly 13-14 years completed a survey on self-harm at baseline and again 12-weeks later. Change in mood following completion of each survey, ratings and thoughts about participation, and responses to a mood-mitigation activity were analysed using a multi-method approach.

RESULTS: Baseline participation had no overall impact on mood. However, boys and girls reacted differently to the survey depending on self-harm status. Having a history of self-harm had a negative impact on mood for girls, but a positive impact on mood for boys. In addition, participants rated the survey in mainly positive/neutral terms, and cited benefits including personal insight and altruism. At follow-up, there was a negative impact on mood following participation, but no significant effect of gender or self-harm status. Ratings at follow-up were mainly positive/neutral. Those who had self-harmed reported more positive and fewer negative ratings than at baseline: the opposite pattern of response was found for those who had not self-harmed. Mood-mitigation activities were endorsed.

CONCLUSIONS: Self-harm research with youth is feasible in school-settings. Most young people are happy to take part and cite important benefits. However, the impact of participation in research appears to vary according to gender, self-harm risk and method/time of assessment. The impact of repeated assessment requires clarification. Simple mood-elevation techniques may usefully help to mitigate distress.

Language: en

LA - en SN - 1753-2000 UR - http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13034-018-0230-7 ID - ref1 ER -