Healthcare Professionals’ Views on the Effect of Media on Self-Harm in Young People

Denipitiya, Tharushi

Abstract

This thesis portfolio comprises three parts:
Part One: Systematic Literature Review
The systematic literature review explored doctors’ and nurses’ views of self-harm in the UK. A systematic search identified ten suitable papers, which were evaluated using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT) (Hong et al., 2018). Narrative synthesis identified three main themes: (1) professional attitudes and understanding of self-harm, (2) coping strategies and educational needs, and (3) institutional dynamics, social-cultural influences, and stigma. The review assumes a social constructionist lens toward perceptions of self-harm. The review highlighted the importance of recognising the impact of one’s attitudes and their impact on patient care. It also highlighted the need for further training for clinicians to help them care for individuals who self-harm to a higher standard. Finally, the research underlined the impact of societal and institutional dynamics on patient care.
Part Two: Empirical Paper
The empirical study explored healthcare professionals’ views on the effect of media on self-harm in young people. Ten CAMHS clinicians’ views and experiences of the effect of media on self-harm in young people were collected. Critical Discourse Analysis was used to interpret the data. Two main discourses were developed: ‘Media as a Disruptor’ and ‘The Hidden World of Youth’ with several sub-discourses also coming up. Clinicians viewed media as an entity with a multifaceted nature, however, the influence of media was found to be mostly negative on young people who self-harm. The negative impact of inaccurate media portrayals, stereotypes, and stigma surrounding self-harm and their influence on young people were highlighted. The research also found the importance of asking about media in assessments with young people and the need for training and education around the impact of media on self-harm in young people, as well as changes to policies and procedures to improve young people’s care overall.
Part Three comprises of the Appendices.

Citation

Denipitiya, T. (2024). Healthcare Professionals’ Views on the Effect of Media on Self-Harm in Young People. (Thesis). University of Hull. https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4920526

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Nov 18, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Nov 19, 2024
• Keywords: Clinical psychology
• Public URL: https://hull-repository.worktribe.com/output/4920526
• Additional Information: Clinical Psychology; Faculty of Health Sciences; University of Hull
• Award Date: Sep 25, 2024