Social Media, Smartphone Use and Self-harm in Young People

Self-harm is when somebody hurts their body as a way of coping with difficult feelings. Self-harm is becoming increasingly common in young people, particularly in adolescent females. The rise in self-harm has been linked to increasing use of social media and internet technology among young people. However, the evidence is limited to associations with poorer mental health outcomes rather than identifying particular aspects of using these technologies that can negatively impact on mental health.

This study aims to investigate how the use of social media and a smartphone may increase the risk of self-harm in young people by exploring changes in usage in the period leading up to an episode of self-harm. The information from this study will allow us to understand whether there are certain behaviours that are more likely to occur before an episode of self-harm. This will inform new strategies to identify and provide support to vulnerable young people. For example, linking young people with crisis support or empowering young people to make changes, manage their own risks and build resilience.

This study will recruit young people aged 13-25 years old who have accessed mental health services provided by an NHS Trust in South-East London. Young people will be invited to provide information on their mental health and social media and smartphone use over a period of six months.