The lived experience of using social media by young self-harmers?
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What is the lived experience of using social media by young self-harmers?
IRAS ID
170659
Contact name
Rob Flynn
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Tees, Esk & Wear Valleys NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
1 years, 0 months, 30 days
Research summary
Social media is a growing area of modern society and an important aspect to many young people’s lives. There is growing concern that high levels of Internet use results in fewer face-to-face interactions with people, resulting in the weakening of social connections and an increase in the levels of depression, stress, and isolation. Research has already shown how the internet and social networking are impacting on people’s mental health; with online relationships having been found to trigger self-harm.
This study aims to explore the views of young self harmers who use social media, and discuss how this affects their mental health and levels of self-harm (SH). Young people, who self harm and aged between 13-17, will partake in semi-structured interviews, and their responses will be analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA).
The findings could increase our understanding as to how and why young self-harmers use social media, and how this affects their mental health. This information is hoped to be valuable in the development of appropriate support, around social media and mental health, for young self-harmers in services. As well as be of value to those professionals working with these type of service users in the future.
REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
15/NE/0118
Date of REC Opinion
27 Apr 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion