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Self-Injury, Help-Seeking, and the Internet: Informing Online Service Provision for Young People
Mareka Frost1, Leanne Casey1,2, Natalie Rando1
11 School of Applied Psychology, Mt. Gravatt Campus, Griffith University, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.
Background:
Although increasing numbers of young people are seeking help online for self-injury, relatively little is known about their online help-seeking preferences.
Aims:
To investigate the perspectives of young people who self-injure regarding online services, with the aim of informing online service delivery.
Method:
A mixed-methods exploratory analysis regarding the perspectives of a subsample of young people who reported a history of self-injury and responded to questions regarding preferences for future online help-seeking (N = 457). The sample was identified as part of a larger study (N = 1,463) exploring self-injury and help-seeking.
Results:
Seven themes emerged in relation to preferences for future online help-seeking: information, guidance, reduced isolation, online culture, facilitation of help-seeking, access, and privacy. Direct contact with a professional via instant messaging was the most highly endorsed form of online support.
Conclusion:
Young people expressed clear preferences regarding online services for self-injury, supporting the importance of consumer consultation in development of online services.
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