Problem
Self-harm among young adolescents is common, with up to 20% self-harming by the age of 18. In addition to the immediate physical harm, self-harm is associated with poor mental health and increased risk of suicide.
To help improve psychological care and outcomes for young people who self-harm, a team at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust is implementing and evaluating a self-management smartphone app, specifically designed for young people aged 12 to 17 who self-harm.
At the time of self-harm, almost all young people are on their own, but nearly all have access to their mobile phone. The smartphone app will provide accessible, real-time guidance for young people to help them cope with self-harming urges.
The app, Bluelce, has been co-produced with young people who have self-harmed and is designed as an adjunct to therapy. It includes a mood monitoring diary and a personalised self-help menu of mood-lifting activities, including music and photo libraries, physical activities, audio-taped relaxation and mindfulness exercises, identification and challenging of negative thoughts, and distress tolerance activities. BlueIce records mood and mood lifting usage/helpfulness. After use, young people are asked to re-rate their mood and are routed to emergency numbers if they are still feeling an urge to self-harm.
Who are the key stakeholders in the BlueIce project and their relative power/interest and how to minimize conflict between some of the key stakeholders involved in the project?