Abstract
To date, research on the role of the Internet in self-harm has focused on young people's interaction via the medium of text, with limited consideration of the effect of images. This qualitative study explores how young people understand and use online images of self-harm. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a community sample of 21 individuals aged 16–24 living in Wales, UK, with a previous history of self-harm. Interviewees reported the role of the Internet in normalising young people's self-harm. Images rather than textual interactions are the primary reason cited for using the Internet for self-harm purposes. Images invoke a physical reaction and inspire behavioural enactment, with Tumblr, which permits the sharing of images by anonymous individuals, being the preferred platform. Viewing online images serves a vital role in many young people's self-harm, as part of ritualistic practice. Online prevention and intervention need to attend to the importance of images.
Highlights
Self-harm is a major public health concern in relation to young people
A number of risk factors associated with self-harm in young people have been identified (Hawton, Saunders, & O'Connor, 2012), with research increasingly attending to the role played by online spaces (Daine et al, 2013)
Evidence indicates that 51.3% of young people who report self-harm have previously engaged in related Internet searches for self-harm or suicide
Summary
Self-harm is a major public health concern in relation to young people. It can be defined as a non-fatal act where an individual engages in a behaviour or ingests a substance with the intention of causing harm to themselves (Owen, Hansford, Sharkey, & Ford, 2016). The underlying suicidal intent associated with the behaviour has been contested, with increased differentiation between non-suicidal self-injury [NSSI] and acts with an associated suicide intent (Muehlenkamp & Kerr, 2010; Nock, 2001; Ougrin, Tranah, Leigh, & Asarnow, 2012). Both non-suicidal and suicidal self-harm share a range of risk factors (Mars et al, 2014), indicating location along the same continuum (Kapur, Cooper, O'Connor & Hawton, 2012). Evidence indicates that 51.3% of young people who report self-harm have previously engaged in related Internet searches for self-harm or suicide
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