Beyond Barriers: Illuminating Pathways to Effective Self-Harm Treatment for Diverse Young People

Self-harming young people face barriers in accessing effective treatment, including stigmatisation and negative reactions from trusted adults and clinicians. Understanding barriers and facilitators of treatment is crucial for improving help-seeking behaviours and treatment outcomes.

Explore the lived experiences of diverse young people engaged in self-harm to identify the barriers and facilitators in their help-seeking process.

Interview 20 young people aged 16-24 from the greater Los Angeles area using semi-structured focus groups. Thematic analysis was conducted using Braun & Clark's six-phase framework in NVivo20.

Participants described an iterative help-seeking process. Key barriers included stigmatisation, logistical challenges, negative parental responses, and negative treatment experiences. Key facilitators included trust, coping skills and providers' deep understanding of self-harm.

Findings highlight the complex nature of help-seeking for self-harm among diverse young people, highlighting the need for enhanced clinical training and patient-centred treatment approaches.

The study's generalisability is limited by its focus on young people from the Los Angeles area and those with prior professional treatment experience.

Increased education and training about self-harm for laypersons and mental health professionals is essential. Implementing patient-centered approaches can build trust, validate experiences and tailor interventions to individual needs, improving treatment efficacy and reducing stigma.