Self harm and Suicide Prevention
Suicide is a global public health concern and one of the leading causes of death in young people worldwide.
Many young people face challenges that increase their risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviours. Our work focuses on understanding and tackling these underlying difficulties. We aim to transform research, clinical practice, policy and community responses to self-harm and suicide prevention with a shared vision of developing effective, evidence-based interventions that support young people.
Please contact the Self-harm and Suicide Prevention Research Theme Leads for further information:
- IMH Research Theme Lead - Dr Maria Michail
- IMH Research Theme Co-lead - Dr Anna Lavis
Our research
ATTUNE: the role of the voluntAry secTor to the prevenTion of sUicide among youNg pEople
ATTUNE: the role of the voluntAry secTor to the prevenTion of sUicide among youNg pEople
Key People: Dr Maria Michail
Voluntary organisations play a crucial role in supporting young people from marginalised groups who are at higher risk of suicidal thoughts and self-harm. ATTUNE examines how these organisations support at-risk young people in the West Midlands and South West Peninsula (England) and aims to develop best practice recommendations for effective collaborative care in youth suicide prevention.
Self-harm In Eating Disorders (SHINE)
Self-harm In Eating Disorders (SHINE)
Key people: Dr Anna Lavis
The SHINE study was a two-phase mixed methods feasibility study which aimed to understand the socio-contextual factors that underlie self-harm in eating disorders. We employed ecological momentary assessment methods and qualitative interviews with people aged 16+ attending specialist outpatient eating disorder services. This work has been presented at the International Conference for Youth Mental Health (Copenhagen, 2022) and the International Association for Suicide Prevention (Piran, 2023). This study is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Research for Patient Benefit (RfPB) Programme (NIHR201108; 2021-2023).
SEYMOUR: System Dynamics Modelling for Suicide Prevention
SEYMOUR: System Dynamics Modelling for Suicide Prevention
Key people: Dr Maria Michail
Tackling youth suicide rates with a novel system dynamics modelling approach.
Suicide is a leading cause of mortality among young people aged 15-29 globally. The EU-funded SEYMOUR project explores how systems modelling and simulation can inform strategic decision making for suicide prevention in young people aged 12-25 in Australia and the UK.
Exploring Self-Harm and Suicide Online Content
Exploring Self-Harm and Suicide Online Content
Key people: Dr Anna Lavis
Since 2018, funded first by Wellcome, and subsequently by Samaritans and the Barker Family Trust, we have undertaken a series of studies exploring online self-harm and suicide content. Using the methodology of online ethnography, this research has explored both the impact of these content forms on young people, as well as motivations for engaging with them. Our findings have underpinned policy, such as inputting into the UK Online Safety Act, and practice across a range of sectors.
Suicide Prevention and Helplines
Suicide Prevention and Helplines
Key people: Dr Maria Michail
NSPCC Childline is the biggest helpline in the world, receiving approximately 300,000 substantive interactions each day via their website or by phone. The amount of online contact made through Childline is increasing, and now approximately 75% of all contact-making takes place via instant messaging, email and the website’s message board. We are working with the NSPCC to help the charity in its response to children who are at risk of suicide.
We reviewed existing Childline policies and practices and carried out focus groups and interviews with frontline staff at Childline and other helpline organisations across the world. The aim is to ensure Childline’s ability to assess and respond to suicide risk is informed by the best available evidence, and to ensure staff and volunteers have the best possible skills and the confidence to provide advice, support and to make referrals, where appropriate, to other frontline services.
Suicide Prevention in Primary Care
Suicide Prevention in Primary Care
Key people: Dr Maria Michail
Primary care is often the first and last healthcare contact for those who die by suicide, including young people. We developed and evaluated evidence-based guidelines, training, and resources to support General Practitioners (GPs) in the assessment and management of vulnerable young people in primary care. We did this by:
- Developing an electronic clinical decision support system for the assessment and management of suicide risk in primary care.
- Creating an online education resource, Suicide in children and young people: Tips for GPs, in collaboration with the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP), to provide GPs with evidence-based recommendations about how to assess and mitigate suicide risk in a consultation.
- Co-producing with the Institute of Mental Health Youth Advisory Group, #MyGPguide –an evidence-informed resource for young people with lived experience of self-harm and/or suicidal behaviour to prepare them for their consultation with their GP.
- Creating a Special Interest Group Suicide Prevention in Primary Care co-chaired by Dr Maria Michail.
PhD Research
Understanding Self-Harm in Dance
Understanding Self-Harm in Dance
Maria is a Doctoral Candidate at the School of Sport, Exercise and Rehabilitation Sciences. She received her undergraduate degree in Psychology and MSc in Clinical Mental Health Sciences before embarking on her ESRC-funded PhD. Her work on the Understanding Self-Harm in Dance project explores how self-harm is conceptualised in dance and identifies gaps and opportunities for supporting dance students who self-harm. The research focuses on dance teachers and students’ perceptions and experiences of self-harm with the aim of co-producing educational resources to help safeguard those at risk within dance.
PhD Student:
Supervisors:
- Professor Jennifer Cumming
- Dr Anna Lavis
- Dr Erin Sanchez from One Dance UK (Industry Supervisor)
Connect with Maria: LinkedIn
Investigating the Social Determinants of Youth Suicide and Self-Harm
Investigating the Social Determinants of Youth Suicide and Self-Harm
Adam is a PhD student at the School of Psychology. His ESRC-funded PhD project aims to investigate the broader social, political, economic and environmental factors that influence self-harm and suicidal thoughts and behaviours among young people aged 16 and 25 in England. The research explores this through a mixed-method approach with the end goal of producing evidence-based recommendations to inform future research and policy efforts.
PhD Student:
Supervisors:
Impact & knowledge exchange
Policy recommendations
Preventing suicide in young people (March 2019)
Executive summary
- Primary care is often the first and last health-care contact for those who die by suicide, and 50% of surveyed GPs had not undertaken any mental health training in the previous 5 years.
- Young people with first-episode psychosis have significantly higher rates of self-harm, the strongest risk factor in suicide.
- Factors increasing the likelihood of self-harm included psychiatric history, a history of childhood sexual abuse, and increased risk for young people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic Backgrounds. Females and younger patients were also more likely to self-harm.
- Key recommendations include: the need for early intervention to reduce later risk, and the roll out of regular mandatory training for GPs and other healthcare professionals on suicide awareness and risk management. Suicide risk management should be a mandatory part of a GP NHS revalidation cycle.
Developing educational resources and recommendations
Suicide in children and young people: Tips for GPs – RCGP educational resource
It can be difficult to undertake a comprehensive mental health assessment of a young person in the context of the competing demands of general practice. Tips for GPs offers some suggestions specifically about how to assess and manage suicide risk in a consultation, acknowledging that more detailed mental health assessments may need to take place over multiple consultations and with input from other services.
#MyGPGuide – a guide to talk to your GP
We know that visiting your GP to talk about self-harm and suicidal feelings can be very frightening. This is because you might not know what to expect. We have put together a short guide to help young people prepare to talk with their GP about self-harm and suicidal experiences.
This has been developed by researchers at the University of Birmingham in partnership with a group of youth advisors.
Latest news & events
World Suicide Prevention Day
We’re currently planning a campaign to showcase the recent and ongoing research within the self-harm and suicide prevention research group. Keep an eye on this space.