A qualitative study exploring female patients' experiences of self-harm in a medium secure unit

Abstract

This study utilized a social constructivist model and reports upon interviews conducted with five female patients in a medium secure service. Their perception of self-harm is considered. Six themes emerged from the data, ‘the traumatized individual’, ‘interrupted maturation process’, ‘the hidden experience’, ‘crossing the line’, ‘individual and systemic repercussions’, ‘nascent potential protection’. In addition to the six themes that emerged, we concluded that, although individual perceptions of self-harm varied, commonalities existed across accounts and that individual formulation may assist both patients and staff to gain a personalized understanding, thus, enabling less harmful ways of coping to be established.