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April 17, 2026Digital HealthOpen Access

Motivations and deterrents for posting and responding to online self-harm content: A qualitative survey study

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Authors

LKLaura KennedyALAnna LavisRWRachel Winter

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Overview

Qualitative survey explores motivations and deterrents for posting and responding to self-harm content in diverse age groups, suggesting the need for tailored educational initiatives.

Key Points

  • This study explores the reasons why individuals post and respond to online self-harm content, focusing on both adults and adolescents.
  • Analyzed qualitative data from a national online survey of UK participants aged 16 to 65+
  • Included open-text questions on experiences with self-harm content
  • Utilized content analysis to derive themes from the responses
  • Complex motivations for posting self-harm content were identified, including social support and emotional venting
  • Concern about triggering others was the main deterrent against posting
  • Responses to self-harm content were primarily motivated by a desire to support others, especially among adults
  • Younger users sometimes aimed to correct negative behaviors
  • A lack of emotional capacity to engage was the primary reason for not responding to self-harm content

Cite This Study

Kennedy et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69e1cfcb5cdc762e9d858cb1https://doi.org/10.1177/20552076261441631
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Also Consider

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