Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
Working with self-harm : accounts of two staff groups. / Fish, Rebecca; Reid, Helen.
In: Journal of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour, Vol. 2, No. 4, 2011, p. 152-158.Research output: Contribution to Journal/Magazine › Journal article › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Working with self-harm
T2 - accounts of two staff groups
AU - Fish, Rebecca
AU - Reid, Helen
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Purpose – This study seeks to explore the content analysis of two qualitative studies looking at experiences of staff working with clients who self-harm. One of the groups work with women clients, and the other works with men. Both groups of staff in this study work with people with mild learning disabilities who self-harm. The sample is taken from nurses working in both medium security and low security in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – The staff were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and had considerable control over the direction of the interview.Findings – Although some allowances should be made because the two groups worked in different services, there were some interesting variations in the themes of the results. The two groups of staff based their discussions on five central themes: types of self-harm, perceived reasons for self-harm, staff personal responses, client treatment options, and staff support.Practical implications – Staff reported experiencing strong emotional responses to incidents of self-harm. Types of behaviour tended to vary between men and women. Staff asked for more training and time for support groups to meet. Some staff (particularly those working with women) think that self-harm should be allowed within reason.Originality/value – This research will be valuable to many types of residential service where clients may use self-harm as a coping strategy. The authors recommend services adopting a harm minimisation approach to self-harm.
AB - Purpose – This study seeks to explore the content analysis of two qualitative studies looking at experiences of staff working with clients who self-harm. One of the groups work with women clients, and the other works with men. Both groups of staff in this study work with people with mild learning disabilities who self-harm. The sample is taken from nurses working in both medium security and low security in the UK.Design/methodology/approach – The staff were interviewed using semi-structured interviews and had considerable control over the direction of the interview.Findings – Although some allowances should be made because the two groups worked in different services, there were some interesting variations in the themes of the results. The two groups of staff based their discussions on five central themes: types of self-harm, perceived reasons for self-harm, staff personal responses, client treatment options, and staff support.Practical implications – Staff reported experiencing strong emotional responses to incidents of self-harm. Types of behaviour tended to vary between men and women. Staff asked for more training and time for support groups to meet. Some staff (particularly those working with women) think that self-harm should be allowed within reason.Originality/value – This research will be valuable to many types of residential service where clients may use self-harm as a coping strategy. The authors recommend services adopting a harm minimisation approach to self-harm.
KW - Interviews
KW - Patient care
KW - Self-harm
KW - Staff attitudes
KW - Staff/client relationships
U2 - 10.1108/20420921111207837
DO - 10.1108/20420921111207837
M3 - Journal article
VL - 2
SP - 152
EP - 158
JO - Journal of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour
JF - Journal of Learning Disabilities and Offending Behaviour
SN - 2042-0927
IS - 4
ER -