Journal
JOURNAL OF ADOLESCENCE
Volume 60, Issue -, Pages 140-147Publisher
ACADEMIC PRESS LTD- ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.adolescence.2017.08.001
Keywords
Self-injury; Self-harm; Internet; Social media; Qualitative research
Categories
Funding
- National Institute of Social Care and Health Research (Welsh Government)
- Centre for the Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence
- British Heart Foundation
- Cancer Research UK
- Economic and Social Research Council [RES-590-28-0005]
- Medical Research Council
- Welsh Government
- Wellcome Trust under the UK Clinical Research Collaboration [WT087640MA]
- Health and Care Research Wales [SCF-14-09] Funding Source: researchfish
- Medical Research Council [MR/K023233/1] Funding Source: researchfish
- MRC [MR/K023233/1] Funding Source: UKRI
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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. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The Foundation for Professionals in Services for Adolescents.
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