Study aims to develop a new approach to the treatment of self-harm

Psychologists at the University of Southampton are about to embark on a study that aims to develop a new approach to the treatment of self-harm, a condition which is now reported to affect as many of 13 per cent of young people and adults.

Funded by an award of £50,000 from the Economic and Social Research Council and in partnership with Dorset NHS HealthCare Trust, the University of Southampton aims to develop a systematic method of treatment for deliberate self-harm.

'Many of those who self-harm describe it as addictive and recent empirical research supports this,' explains Claire Hepworth, PhD research student with the study at Southampton. 'People who are self-harmers display many of the behavioural and psychological characteristics of addiction. As a result, we now believe that treatments used to combat addiction might prove to be valuable tools to help individuals who engage in self-harm.'

The three-year study has three main aims: to develop a thorough understanding of the self-harming experience: to assess the way that the body responds to triggers associated with self-harm, and to develop a treatment intervention based on this data. The findings will contribute to the development of a treatment technique and will be used to inform health care professionals around the UK.

Researchers leading the project are now actively seeking volunteers over the age of 18 from the local area and across the UK to take part in the study. Anyone interested in taking part, should contact Claire Hepworth at the University of Southampton on 023 8059 4594 or [email protected].