Resources

NEW Resources!

Our team has developed two new factsheets:

• Developing a School Protocol provides an overview of best practices for detecting and responding to self-injury in secondary school settings.  This fact sheet is designed for school staff and faculty, specifically for school administrators, counselors, nurses and other support personnel.
• Self-injury in the Media includes information about teen media usage, trends of portrayals of self-injury in the media, and ways to reduce the negative impact media can have on adolescent behavior.

Resources from CRPSIB

• The factsheet What is self-injury? covers a range of topics, from who self-injures, why people to self-injure, factors that contribute to self-injury, to issues of addiction and contagion.
• The factsheet Top Misconceptions explains the differences between perceptions and the reality of self-injury. (Cliquer ici pour les versions en français.)
• The factsheet Coping talks about healthy ways to deal with stress and stressful situations.  (Click here for a review of the academic literature regarding coping.)
• The factsheet Alternative Coping Strategies provides distraction techniques and suggestions to help with emotion regulation for those struggling with self-injury.  (Cliquer ici pour les versions en français, Klicken Sie hier fuer die deutschsprachige Ausgabe.)
• The factsheet Therapy: Myths and misconceptions explains the truth behind some common misconceptions of therapy.
• The factsheet Therapy: What to expect describes the goals of treatment, first steps in beginning therapy, confidentiality issues, characteristics of individual and family therapy, and more.
• The factsheet Recovering from self-injury describes some common recovery processes and includes tips to make the recovery process easier
• The presentation Recovering from self-injurious behavior covers many of the same topics as in the above factsheet, but presents the information in a visual, narrated PowerPoint format.
• One factsheet provides information just for parents. (Cliquer ici pour les versions en français, Klicken Sie hier fuer die deutschsprachige Ausgabe.)
• Another factsheet provides information just for friends. (Cliquer ici pour les versions en français, Klicken Sie hier fuer die deutschsprachige Ausgabe.)
• Watch a presentation introducing Cognitive Behavior Therapy.
• Watch a presentation introducing Dialectical Behavior Therapy.
• Watch a presentation introducing Mindfulness-based Therapies.

Looking for a Consultant?

We do provide a range of consulting services for youth-serving professionals, school personnel, and medical professionals related to education (self-injurious behavior (SIB) epidemiology, risk and protective factors, comorbidity, and treatment) as well as detection, intervention, and treatment basics.  For more information, please contact the project director, Janis Whitlock, at jlw43@cornell.edu.

Readings

• Alderman, T. (2000). Helping those who hurt themselves. The Prevention Researcher, 7(4), 5-8.
• Derouin, A., & Bravender, T. (2004). Living on the edge: The current phenomenon of self-mutilation in adolescents. MCN: The American Journal of Maternal/Child Nursing, 29(1), 12-18.

• Hollander, M. (2008). Helping teens who cut: Understanding and ending self-injury. New York, NY: Guilford Press.

• Kingsonbloom, J., Conterio,K., & Lader,W. (1998). Bodily Harm: The Breakthrough Healing Program for Self-Injurers. New York: Hyperion.
• Lader, W. (Winter, 2006). A look at the increase in body focused behaviors. Paradigm, 14-18.
• Lieberman, R. (March, 2004). Understanding and responding to students who self-mutilate. Principal Leadership Magazine, 4(7). Online publication of the National Association of School Psychologists.
• Purington, A., & Whitlock, J. (August, 2004). Research facts and findings: Self-injury fact sheet. ACT for Youth Upstate Center for Excellence. Publication of Cornell University , U of Rochester , and New York State Center for School Safety.
• Selekman, M. D. (2006). Working with self-harming adolescents: A collaborative, strengths-based therapy approach. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
• Selekman, M. D. (2009). The adolescent & young adult self-harming treatment manual: A collaborative strengths-based brief therapy approach. New York: W.W. Norton & Company.
• Walsh, B. W. (2005). Treating self-injury: A practical guide. New York : Guilford Press.
  • See also: Some Basic Features of a School Protocol
• White, V. E., Trepal-Wollenzier, H., & Nolan, J. M. (2002). College students and self-injury: Intervention strategies for counselors. Journal of College Counseling, 5, 105-113.
• White Kress, V. E., Gibson, D. M., Reynolds, C. A. (February, 2004). Adolescents who self-injure: Implications and strategies for school counselors. Professional School Counseling.
• Yates, T. M. (2004). The developmental psychopathology of self-injurious behavior: Compensatory regulation in posttraumatic adaptation. Clinical Psychological Review, 24, 35-74.

National and International Web Resources

• The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry is aimed at helping parents and families in understanding emotional, developmental, behavioral and mental disorders affecting children and adolescents.
• ASHIC (the American Self-Harm Information Clearinghouse) strives to increase public awareness of the phenomenon of self-inflicted violence and the unique challenges faced by self-injurers and the people who care about them.
• Inspiring Connections is a Canadian organization that provides training and other resource materials to organizations, professionals and laypersons who want to learn more about self-injury and working with people who self-injure.
• The National Mental Health Association has an on-line factsheet about self-injury available here.
• The National Self-Harm Network (UK): Young People and Self Harm is a key information resource for young people who self-harm, their friends and families, and for professionals working with them.
• SAFE Alternatives® (Self-Abuse Finally Ends) (1-800-366-8288) is a nationally recognized treatment approach, professional network and educational resource base, which is committed to helping achieve an end to self-injurious behavior.
  • S.A.F.E. Focus Group is a self injury support group based off of the S.A.F.E. Alternatives Program. For further information, please e-mail S.A.F.E.FocusGroup@Hotmail.com
  • S.A.F.E. Alternatives also provides information on how to find a therapist to treat self-injury.
• Self Injurious Behavior: Free satellite broadcast, October 19, 2006. It is widely believed that the number of youth who intentionally injure their bodies by cutting, burning, or engaging in other forms of mutilation has increased in recent years. Join Dr. Janis Whitlock as she summarizes what we know and don't know about self-injury as well as recommendations for detection, intervention, and prevention.
  
• So what do I do instead?: A list of suggestions.
• To Write Love on Her Arms is a non-profit movement dedicated to presenting hope and finding help for people struggling with depression, addiction, self-injury and suicide.  TWLOHA exists to encourage, inform, inspire and also to invest directly into treatment and recovery.

Academic Literature of More General Interest

• Read an annotated bibliography of academic literature regarding coping. 
• Read a review of academic literature regarding coping.

Resources for Secondary School Faculty and Staff

• Developing and Implementing School Protocol provides an overview of best practices for detecting and responding to self-injury in secondary school settings.  This fact sheet is designed for school staff and faculty, specifically for school administrators, counselors, nurses and other support personnel.
• Lieberman, R. (March, 2004). Understanding and responding to students who self-mutilate. Principal Leadership Magazine, 4(7). Online publication of the National Association of School Psychologists.
• Walsh, B. W. (2005). Treating self-injury: A practical guide. New York : Guilford Press.
  • See also: Some Basic Features of a School Protocol

Other Resources

MENTAL ILLNESS AND MENTAL HEALTH IN ADOLESCENCE
by Janis Whitlock and Karen Schantz
The new edition of Research fACTs and Findings from ACT for Youth provides a brief introduction to mental health in adolescence with a focus on definition, assessment, and mental health disorders, then offers perspective on the role youth development approaches may play in promoting positive mental health and protecting against mental health disorders.