Suicide and self-harm research theme
Conducting psychological research into suicide and self-harm. A group of academics, research staff and postgraduate students whose research covers a wide variety of suicide and self-harm research about individuals, communities and populations.
The common thread that brings our research together is the application of psychological theories to suicide and self-harm. We’re interested in applied health, preventative health and behavioural medicine, investigating questions such as:
- Why do people to self-harm?
- How do heritable traits moderate treatment outcomes?
- How are boys or men struggling in terms of different life outcomes, and how does this contribute to nihilism and suicidality?
- What helps people in suicidal crisis to reduce their suicidality?
- How does the way people think, feel and behave in relation to suicide and self-harm and other factors influence this?
- How do experiences of trauma, particularly suicide, contribute to suicidality?
- What are the benefits of rapid access to brief psychological therapy for people in suicidal crisis or who have recently self-harmed?
- What is the relationship between people’s psychological fusion with social groups, their social networks, the quality of their social interactions and loneliness?
- What are the benefits of mindfulness based interventions delivered by Community Mental Health teams to those at risk of recurrent depression and suicidality?
- What is the relationship between adverse events on the farm and suicidal ideation in farmers?
- How effective are school-based prevention programmes and promotion interventions for children’s mental health, wellbeing and academic attainment?
- What are the psychological and physiological processes and mechanisms that underpin adolescent mental health difficulties?
Over 60 collaborating researchers, clinicians, health service managers, service users and voluntary sector representatives are part of the research group.
Suicide and Self-Harm Research Group Lead:
Faq Items
Research members
Research staff
MSc students
PhD students
Co-investigators
Working together for change
With colleagues at the Universities of Manchester, Liverpool and Leeds, Mersey Care NHS Foundation Trust, Alder Hey NHS Foundation Trust, Alder Hey Children’s NHS Foundation Trust and James’ Place Centres we jointly lead funded projects that aims to improve the management of self-harm and suicide prevention in primary care and community settings.
Faq Items
Community outpatient psychotherapy service for self-harm
Adults with complex mental health needs
Community-based therapeutic service for men in suicidal crisis
Young people in crisis
Adults with complex mental health needs
PhD projects
Laura Abbate: A feasibility study of the effectiveness and acceptability of Postvention Liaison Services for Individuals Bereaved by Suicide. (Director of Studies: Dr Pooja Saini)
Claire Hanlon: The Feasibility and Efficacy of the James’ Place Brief Psychological Therapeutic Model among Men in Suicide Crisis. (Director of Studies: Dr David McIlroy)
Molly McCarthy: Configuration and utilisation of clinical pathways by patients who attend A&E in suicidal crisis. (Director of Studies: Dr Pooja Saini)
Other projects
Transformation Change Project (PI: Dr Pooja Saini)
National/International Committees
Suicide and Self-Harm Research Network North West (SSHaRE NoW)
LJMU are a Member of the International Association for Suicide Prevention (IASP)
