Families of Young People Who Self-Harm: A Mixed-Methods Systematic Review of Their Experiences and Needs
AI Summary
Parents experience substantial emotional and psychological impact, including distress, guilt and reduced wellbeing.
Self-harm disrupts parenting, weakens parent-child bonds, and destabilises family dynamics and everyday functioning.
Families encounter barriers to support, including limited services, stigma and unmet needs; they require tailored, family-centred interventions and service improvements.
Arch Suicide Res. 2026 May 8:1-32. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2026.2666405. Online ahead of print.
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Self-harm in young people is a pressing public health issue, with family support playing a crucial role in the young person’s prognosis. Concurrently, the impact extends to families themselves, who must navigate caregiving responsibilities while also requiring support. Understanding these experiences is key to providing more effective assistance in their caregiving roles.
AIM: With this mixed-methods systematic review we investigated the experiences, barriers, and needs of families of young people who self-harm.
METHOD: Following PRISMA guidelines, a search was conducted within PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus databases in July 2024 and April 2025. Thirty-one studies were included in this review, and quality was assessed with the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT). A narrative synthesis was employed for the quantitative data, while qualitative data were analysed with thematic synthesis.
RESULTS: The quantitative findings revealed two themes: (1) the repercussions of self-harm in the family and (2) family support needs. Qualitative analysis identified four themes: (1) parents’ emotional and psychological impact; (2) impact on parenting and the bond with the young person; (3) disruption of family dynamics; and (4) barriers to and pathways for family support.
CONCLUSION: We discuss the implications of these findings, offering recommendations for future research and improvements in family support services to alleviate caregiver burden and foster supportive environments for recovery.
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