Lived experiences, barriers, and facilitators of voluntary non-suicidal self-injury disclosure among adolescents who have disclosed: a qualitative systematic review protocol

Background Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is common among adolescents and often remains concealed because of shame and stigma. Voluntary disclosure can provide access to support, but emotional and interpersonal concerns shape the decision to disclose. This review will synthesize disclosure experiences, barriers, and facilitators reported by adolescents who have voluntarily disclosed NSSI at least once. Methods Primary qualitative studies and separately extractable qualitative components of mixed-methods studies involving adolescents aged 10–19 years will be eligible. Searches will cover PubMed, Embase, APA PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Web of Science Core Collection. China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Data, and the Chinese Biomedical Literature Database will also be searched. Coverage will extend from inception through 31 March 2026, inclusive, without language restrictions; formal searches have not yet been executed. Gray literature, reference lists, and forward citations will also be searched. Two human reviewers will independently select studies, appraise them using the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) qualitative checklist, and extract findings. Findings will be synthesized using JBI meta-aggregation, with confidence assessed using ConQual. Discussion The synthesis will examine disclosure decisions, recipients' responses, and subsequent experiences from adolescents' perspectives. Findings may inform clinical, school, and family support for voluntary NSSI disclosure. Systematic review registration https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/view/CRD420261355173 , identifier: CRD420261355173.