Social media reinforces self-harming behavior

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Images of self-harm on social networks can encourage young people to engage in self-harming behaviour. According to a study by the Medical University of Vienna, affected adolescents show an increased awareness of these images. The research team urges that prevention and intervention measures be strengthened.

“Our study shows that visual content on social media can contribute significantly to the intensification of the urge to self-harm, particularly in adolescents who are already at risk,” said lead author Andreas Goreis from the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry on Monday. The study, conducted at MedUni Vienna and presented on Monday, was published in “JAMA Network Open.”

“These findings underline the need to prepare young people better to deal with such images and to provide them with tools to improve their emotional regulation and distance themselves from distressing stimuli,” added study leader Oswald Kothgassner.

Adolescents with a history of non-suicidal self-harming behaviour (NSSV) show increased attention to images of self-harm on social networks. This attention bias—the improved and faster fixation of such content—increases the urge to self-harm. The researchers are therefore urging that prevention and intervention measures be stepped up.

Study with eye tracking
14- to 18-year-olds with and without experience of NSSV took part in the survey at MedUni Vienna’s Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Eye tracking technology was used to measure the gaze direction and duration of fixations on different visual stimuli. In addition, the reaction times to NSSV images compared to neutral images were recorded.

The results show that pre-stressed adolescents “react significantly more strongly to images of self-harm than to neutral content and have difficulty turning their attention away from them,” the study authors reported. However, this was not the case with texts dealing with self-harm.

The control group without a history of NSSV did not show a comparable reaction to the NSSV images. Such content is apparently less problematic for young people without such previous experience.

Addressing the topic in discussions with those affected
According to the study, physiological stress reactions such as heart rate and skin conductance showed no significant differences when confronted with the images. However, the effects could be psychologically stressful.

Therefore, professionals and practitioners should be aware of the potential triggers of such images and address the issue with those affected. As a prevention against such media content, the researchers recommend “measures to improve emotional regulation skills and awareness programs.”