How do parents view their adolescents who engage in self-harming behaviors?

"Mental health professionals are interested in parents’ perceptions of adolescents who engage in self-harming behaviors. A new study published in the British Journal of Psychiatry (2008) titled, “Parents’ perspectives on adolescent self-harm: qualitative study,” examines this issue. Twelve parents of adolescents who engaged in self-harming behaviors were interviewed. And the results? “Parents commonly suspected and spotted self-harm prior to disclosure or service contact; however, communication difficulties and underestimating significance led to delays in addressing the behaviour. Parents struggled to understand and cope with self-harm.” The data from this study support that idea that parents are often aware of the their child’s self-harm but are unsure of how to intervene.

The Bottom Line: This study supports the idea that parents are often aware of their adolescent’s self-harming behaviors, but lack the knowledge of what to do about it. "

Source:Dr. Jeff's and Dr. Tanya's Blog

God this frustrates me! Does a study of twelve teens have any validaty. Does this one tell us anything we don't know. Im not having a go at those who conducted the study nor the parents involved but to me the money could of been better spent. Yes for mental health professionals this may have been an aspect that they wanted more information on, but if you are going to put the time and effort in, broaden the base you are using to come to conclusions. Then it may be helpful.

Gees...

Publication/Enquiry 2006

National Conference debates the findings of Truth Hurts, the 96 page (pdf)report of the National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People

Over 100 senior managers and policy makers came together at the British Library to hear from a range of speakers on the implications of the findings of the National Inquiry, and to debate how to improve the experience of young people who self harm, their families and friends.

Speakers included a young person with personal experience of self-harm, who movingly described her ongoing struggle to find alternative ways of coping, and the critical difference that had been made in her life by finding a GP able to work with her to tackle the need to self-harm. A range of professionals also spoke from their perspective: the medical advisor for the RCN discussed the challenges of “safe” self harm, a human right lawyer laid out the complex legal framework within which treatment decisions need to be made, and the conference heard from counselling services in schools and universities about what interventions appear to be successful. The governor of Styal prison discussed the high rates of self harm among women prisoners and the need to support staff to deal with highly distressing situations, and the leader of an in-patient psychiatric unit described the unit’s move from an approach based on stopping self harm to one that sought to allow patients a sense of control and responsibility over the self-harming behaviour.

Andrew McCulloch, Chief Executive of the Mental Health Foundation, urged all professionals to re-engage with their core skills of empathy and a non-judgemental approach to offering support to young people who self-harm. He outlined the Mental Health Foundation’s intention to develop training for front-line professionals.

Publication

All of the information here is based on the findings of the National Inquiry into Self-harm among Young People. The Inquiry was carried out by two charities, The Mental Health Foundation and The Camelot Foundation. The Inquiry panel heard evidence from many hundreds of people including young people who self-harm, or have self-harmed in the past, and those who work with or care about them.

This 32 page booklet is based on what they said. You will see the words of young people who have self-harmed throughout this booklet, in the form of quotes.

For more information about the Inquiry and its findings, visit Young People & Self Harm, Nationa Inquiry and the Appendix at the back of this booklet.

Publication

This 11 page guide is for adults who have engaged in self-harm. It informs them of the best possible assessment, treatment and support and what to expect of services intended to reduce self-harm and its related suffering.

Australian treatment guide for consumers and carers (PDF 323kb)

[The Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists: Melbourne 2005]

Funded by Australia’s National Mental Health Strategy and New Zealand’s Ministry of Health .

This guide is a research-based clinical practice guideline based on a thorough review of the medical and related literature. It was written in association with people who had recovered from self-harm and those working with them. The authors were also members of an expert committee developing a Clinical Practice Guideline for mental health professionals chaired by Prof Philip Boyce, Professor of Psychiatry.

If you are having difficulty downloading the PDF document, please email mentalhealth@health.gov.au and they will arrange for a copy to be sent to you.