Helping to Enhance Adolescent Living (H.E.A.L.

ing): Coping with Emotional Problems

Emily Berger1 & Tori Andrews2
1School

of Psychology & Psychiatry Monash University

of Psychiatry The University of Queensland AUSTRALIAN RESEARCH COUNCIL

2Discipline

Acknowledgements
Research Team
Prof Graham Martin, OAM Dr Penny Hasking Lauren Friend Sophie Aitken Tori Andrews Emily Berger

H.E.A.L.ing: Coping with Emotional Problems

An ARC funded study of how adolescents cope with the stressors of daily life and how we can prevent later distress 2,500 secondary school students will be recruited Accelerated longitudinal design: 3 time points, 12 months apart

Measures
Demographic information Attachment Personality Self-Efficacy Self-Esteem Social Support Optimism Coping styles Emotional Regulation Rumination Help Seeking Self-injury Perceptions of self-injury Brief Reasons for Living General Mental Health Stressful Life Events Psychosis Alcohol Consumption Alcohol Abuse Drug Use and Smoking Reactions to questionnaire

H.E.A.L.ing: Coping with Emotional Problems Project

Predisposing Factors Resilience
Self-injury and Correlates

Self-injury Demographic factors Personality Coping strategies Suicidal ideation

Emotion regulation

Substance use Historical factors Social support Psychological distress

Current progress
Projected 2,500 3,000 students for Time 1 47 secondary schools:
QLD: 23 schools NSW: 2 schools NT: 2 schools SA: 10 schools VIC: 6 schools TAS: 4 schools

Time 1 finishes in November 2010

Descriptive results
Total = 1150 young people Males = 14% (n=162) Females = 86% (n=988) Mean age = 13.91 Thought about self-injury = 22.1% (n=225) Lifetime prevalence of self-injury = 10% (n=115) Not told anyone about self-injury = 30.4% (n=35) Mean age of onset: 13 years old Mean age of last episode: 14 years old

Descriptive results
Methods Cutting Hitting self with fists or other objects Hitting head or self against hard objects Scratching Frequency Once Twice Three-Five Five + Lethality Not at all serious Needed first aid Needed medical attention 60.1% (n=70) 9.6% (n=11) 5.2% (n=6) 4.3% (n=5) 17.3% (n=20) 8.6% (n=10) 21.7% (n=25) 13% (n=15) 47.8% (n=55) 41.7% (n=48) 2.6% (n=3)

Students without and with NSSI history

Variables General Mental Health Stressful Life Events Emotional Suppression Cognitive Reappraisal Non-productive coping Social Support - Family Alcohol Use Self-esteem Rumination Self-efficacy Help Seeking Attachment Optimism No NSSI 22.14 27.34 13.31 28.93 48.04 22.58 1.67 30.24 86.16 30.24 27.35 17.57 20.89 NSSI 30.22 34.54 16.22 23.22 61.28 17.13 3.94 24.26 105.6 27.51 26.16 24.46 16.09 p .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .00* .74 .00* .00*
* Denotes significance at p<.01

Students with and without NSSI history

Variables General Mental Health Stressful Life Events Emotional Suppression Cognitive Reappraisal Non-productive coping Social Support - Family Alcohol Use Self-esteem Rumination Self-efficacy B 0.08 0.07 0.01 -0.11 0.04 -0.06 0.22 -0.09 0.002 0.05 Wald 4.13* 3.65 0.12 10.28* 2.92 1.13 7.06* 1.93 0.01 1.42 OR (95%CI) 1.08 (1-1.17) 1.08 (0.99-1.17) 1.01 (0.92-1.11) 0.88 (0.82-0.95) 1.04 (0.99-1.1) 0.94 (0.84-1.05) 1.24 (1.06-1.46) 1.09 (0.79-1.04) 1.002 (0.97-1.02) 1.05 (0.94-1.16)
0 (Never) = reference group; * p<.05

Student perspectives on what teachers can do to minimise self-injury

Maybe do some research and learn more about the issue from the self-harmer's perspective Educate students on what help you can get Teachers could be more aware of the situation Nothing, I don't think it is the job of the school to get involved

Actually understand why they did it and not just go and tell their parents

Teachers should be able to offer help and notify parents Provide guidance and support

Thank You
Research Team:
Prof Graham Martin, OAM Dr Penny Hasking Sophie Aitken Tori Andrews Emily Berger Lauren Friend