Self-harm

Improving how universities respond when students are struggling with self-harm

Led by Dr Bethany Cliffe at the University of Bristol

Although self-harm is very common and increasing at an alarming rate among university students, the majority never receive any support. Those who do receive support can find it unhelpful or even harmful. This research will investigate how best to support students who self-harm to ensure that they are able to thrive at university and beyond.

With Foundation funding, Dr Bethany Cliffe and her team at the University of Bristol will explore how the various systems that surround students - including their peers, support networks and the university itself – respond to self-harm. They will also explore the needs and priorities of students who themselves self-harm.

This project will involve reviewing university policy and messaging around self-harm, learning how student communities perceive and make sense of self-harm, interviewing staff and other student support staff, and arts-based workshops that explore students’ experiences of self-harming at university.

Through a series of co-production workshops, findings will be translated into a bank of resources for universities, students and those who support students. This will include guidance around policy and messaging, information tailored to different communities, and anti-stigma campaigns. Overall, this research aims to improve support at universities for students with this serious mental health condition.