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Journey of young self-harm survivors from being vulnerable to resilient: Participants’ perspective on a culturally-adapted self-harm prevention intervention

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 July 2023

N. Chaudhry*
Affiliation:
Research, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning
S. Tofique
Affiliation:
Research, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning
T. Kiran
Affiliation:
Research, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning
I. B. Chaudhry
Affiliation:
Research, Pakistan Institute of Living and Learning Psychiatry, Ziauddin Hospital, karachi, Pakistan
N. Husain
Affiliation:
Division of Psychology and Mental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester
E. Colucci
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Middlesex University, London, United Kingdom
*
*Corresponding author.

Abstract

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Introduction

Repeated self-harm represents the single strongest risk factor for suicide. Worldwide, suicide is the second leading cause of death in young people aged 15-29 year, and the leading cause of death in many Asian countries.

Objectives

This qualitative study was nested in a multi-center effectiveness trial of a Youth Culturally-adapted Manual Assisted Problem-solving intervention (Y-CMAP) for prevention of self-harm in Pakistan and aimed to explore young people’s perspective on the intervention.

Methods

One-to-one in-depth qualitative interviews were conducted with 20 participants from 5 cities across Pakistan, using a semi-structured topic guide to explore their views about self-harm, Y-CMAP intervention content, perceived effectiveness and challenges. Interviews were conducted in Urdu language, digitally recorded, transcribed verbatim and translated into English. Thematic analysis was conducted by the trained qualitative researchers.

Results

Interpersonal conflicts including relationship difficulties, financial problems, and lack of social support were highlighted as precipitating factors of self-harm. Participants reported that Y-CMAP intervention is structured and easy to understand. They acknowledged the role of distraction techniques, cost-benefit analysis, discussion on thinking pattern, problem-solving and anger management in improving their mental health and wellbeing and reduce self-harm. Participants also shared their initial fears regarding the intervention, such as fear of disclosure of information to media. School and job timings were described as potential challenges for participation in the intervention.

Conclusions

Exploring the perspectives of young people about culturally-appropriate intervention is imperative in their journey towards preventing suicide, which is a preventable cause of premature death. Findings are particularly relevant for Pakistan, one of the youngest nations in the world with limited resources for suicide prevention.

Disclosure of Interest

None Declared

Type
Abstract
Creative Commons
Creative Common License - CCCreative Common License - BY
This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted re-use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Copyright
© The Author(s), 2023. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the European Psychiatric Association
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