"They aren't all like that": Perceptions of clinical services, as told by self-harm online communities. (November 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Williams, A Jess; Nielsen, Emma; Coulson, Neil S
• Is Part Of: Journal of health psychology. Volume 25:Number 13/14(2020)
• Page Start: 2164
• Page End: 2177
• Publication Date: 2020-11
• Subjects: clinical services -- internet -- online communities -- self-harm -- thematic analysis; Clinical health psychology -- Periodicals; 613.019
• DOI: 10.1177/1359105318788403
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1359-1053

Abstract

Self-harm is a critical public health issue, with strikingly low rates of attendance to clinical services. By offering support, anonymity, and open discussions, online communities hold useful insights into the factors which influence help-seeking behavior. We explore the perceptions of clinical services in three self-harm online communities to understand which services are being used and why. Message threads from each community were extracted randomly until saturation, providing 513 messages across 60 threads. A thematic analysis was performed resulting in four key themes: access to appropriate services during an episode of self-harm, service preference, fears surrounding disclosure, and support.