Understanding the Nature of Involuntary Discoveries of Self-Injury: A Content Analysis
Understanding the Nature of Involuntary Discoveries of Self-Injury: A Content Analysis
Riley L. Pugh Penelope Hasking Kaitlyn McLachlan Stephen P. Lewis a University of Guelph, Guelph, Canadab Curtin University, Bentley, AustraliaRiley L. Pugh is a PhD candidate at the University of Guelph in the CPA-accredited Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology program. Their research focuses on the involuntary discovery of nonsuicidal self-injury and the various impacts that these experiences may effect along with developing guidelines for the optimal way to support individuals when these experiences happen. They hope to expand their research program to investigate the involuntary discovery of other stigmatizing behaviours or characteristics (e.g., sexuality, STI status, transgender identity).Professor Penelope Hasking’s work focuses on mental health in adolescents and young adults. She is particularly interested in the experience of self-injury, and is Past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-Injury. In related work Prof Hasking is leading the Australian arm of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) World Mental Health Surveys – International College Student Initiative, which seeks to collect cross-national data on mental health of university students, identifying unmet needs and linking students with appropriate mental health services. She is the Founder and Managing Director of COMPAS, a not-for-profit company that provides services, training, and research related to suicide prevention.Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlanis a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of Guelph. She is a core faculty member in the Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (CCAP) program, where she supervises graduate students in research and clinical training. Her work broadly focuses on developmental risk and resilience in youth, with an emphasis on supporting vulnerable populations.Stephen P. Lewis, PhD is a Research Leadership Chair and Professor in the Department of Psychology, at the University of Guelph. He is Past President of the International Society for the Study of Self-injury and elected College Member of the Royal Society of Canada. Dr. Lewis’ research centres people’s lived experience of self-injury and related adversities to tackle stigma, promote recovery and resilience, and foster a more compassionate understanding of self-injury. His action-oriented research led to cofounding and directing Self-injury Outreach & Support (SiOS: www.sioutreach.org). Reached in over 180 countries, SiOS is an international non-profit initiative providing current information and resources about self-injury to individuals with lived experience and those who support them.