How Do Young Women Perceive Adult Responses to the Disclosure of Their Self-Harm and What Is the Impact of That Perception?

Rheinberger, D; Mahony, I; Hronis, A; Tang, S; Christensen, H; Shand, F; Whitton, A; Boydell, K; Slade, A; Calear, AL

How Do Young Women Perceive Adult Responses to the Disclosure of Their Self-Harm and What Is the Impact of That Perception?

Rheinberger, D Mahony, I Hronis, A

Tang, S Christensen, H Shand, F Whitton, A Boydell, K Slade, A Calear, AL

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Publisher:: MDPI
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2025, 22, (12), pp. 1879
Issue Date:: 2025-12-17

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Rheinberger, D
dc.contributor.author	Mahony, I
dc.contributor.author	Hronis, A https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6489-0231
dc.contributor.author	Tang, S
dc.contributor.author	Christensen, H
dc.contributor.author	Shand, F
dc.contributor.author	Whitton, A
dc.contributor.author	Boydell, K
dc.contributor.author	Slade, A
dc.contributor.author	Calear, AL
dc.date.accessioned	2026-05-28T01:09:28Z
dc.date.available	2025-12-15
dc.date.available	2026-05-28T01:09:28Z
dc.date.issued	2025-12-17
dc.identifier.citation	Int J Environ Res Public Health, 2025, 22, (12), pp. 1879
dc.identifier.issn	1661-7827
dc.identifier.issn	1660-4601
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195176
dc.description.abstract	Rates of self-harm amongst young women are rising. However, only half of individuals disclose self-harm, and when they do, they may be met with responses that can be harmful or helpful to recovery. The aim of the current study is to understand how young women perceive adult (e.g., parents, health professionals) responses to their self-harm disclosures, and the impact these responses have on them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young women (N = 27, M age = 20.9, SD = 2.1) reporting a history of self-harm. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, with three main themes generated: (1) the young woman's needs were diminished, (2) the confidant's response was not attuned to their needs, and (3) the confidant's response was attuned to their needs. The first theme reflects responses that felt dismissive or elicited feelings of discomfort or shame. The second theme captures responses that failed to resonate with the participant's needs or were unhelpful or invalidating. The third theme represents responses that elicited feelings of being cared for or validated. Future interventions could focus on educating parents and health professionals about the best approaches to responding to self-harm disclosures that promote future disclosure and recovery.
dc.format	Electronic
dc.language	eng
dc.publisher	MDPI
dc.relation.ispartof	Int J Environ Res Public Health
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.3390/ijerph22121879
dc.rights	info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
dc.subject.classification	Toxicology
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Self-Injurious Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Disclosure
dc.subject.mesh	Self Disclosure
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Self-Injurious Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Disclosure
dc.subject.mesh	Self Disclosure
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Humans
dc.subject.mesh	Female
dc.subject.mesh	Self-Injurious Behavior
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adult
dc.subject.mesh	Adolescent
dc.subject.mesh	Disclosure
dc.subject.mesh	Self Disclosure
dc.title	How Do Young Women Perceive Adult Responses to the Disclosure of Their Self-Harm and What Is the Impact of That Perception?
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	22
utslib.location.activity	Switzerland
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
utslib.copyright.status	open_access	*
dc.rights.license	This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0). To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
dc.date.updated	2026-05-28T01:09:26Z
pubs.issue	12
pubs.publication-status	Published online
pubs.volume	22
utslib.citation.issue	12

Abstract:

Rates of self-harm amongst young women are rising. However, only half of individuals disclose self-harm, and when they do, they may be met with responses that can be harmful or helpful to recovery. The aim of the current study is to understand how young women perceive adult (e.g., parents, health professionals) responses to their self-harm disclosures, and the impact these responses have on them. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with young women (N = 27, M age = 20.9, SD = 2.1) reporting a history of self-harm. Reflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse the data, with three main themes generated: (1) the young woman's needs were diminished, (2) the confidant's response was not attuned to their needs, and (3) the confidant's response was attuned to their needs. The first theme reflects responses that felt dismissive or elicited feelings of discomfort or shame. The second theme captures responses that failed to resonate with the participant's needs or were unhelpful or invalidating. The third theme represents responses that elicited feelings of being cared for or validated. Future interventions could focus on educating parents and health professionals about the best approaches to responding to self-harm disclosures that promote future disclosure and recovery.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/195176