Decision Aid for young people who Self-Harm (DASH)
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Development and testing of web-based decisional support for young people who self-harm.
IRAS ID
126321
Contact name
Paul Anthony Moran
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
King's College London
Research summary
Self-harm is a serious health problem. It is the strongest predictor of suicide and is especially prevalent in young people, a group in whom rates of self-harm appear to be rising. Young people who self-harm can find it hard to reach a decision about where to get help. The objective of this study is to develop and then pilot a web-based decision aid (DA) to support young people who self-harm with help-seeking decisions.
The study consists of four stages:
1. Consultation phase. Individual interviews and focus groups will be conducted with young people and health professionals. Participants will be asked for their views about the content of a web-based DA designed to support young people who self-harm with their help-seeking decisions.2. Construction of the DA. The DA will be built using a previously tested technique involving two pieces of proprietary software. The DA software support options will be informed by the results from the above consultation exercise, together with results from a literature review.
3. Observational study of DA use. Young people who participated in the consultation phase, will be invited to attend a one-to-one meeting with a research worker during which they will be invited to complete the DA in order to test the ease and acceptability of using the DA.
4. Email survey. A link to the DA webpage will be emailed to a selected sample of young people, health professionals and parents/guardians and they will be asked to complete a questionnaire on the acceptability, relevance and ease of completion of the DA items. Feedback and comments received during this stage will be used to make further necessary changes to the DA.
REC name
London - Camberwell St Giles Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/LO/0465
Date of REC Opinion
28 May 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion