(PS11-10) An Investigation of Asian American Participants’ Experiences with Self-harm and Treatment

Adolescent self-harm, that is, the act of intentionally harming one’s body without suicidal intent, consistently predicts emotion dysregulation, substance misuse, and increased suicide attempts (Fliege et al., 2009). Unfortunately, many young people engaged in self-harm do not seek treatment. While there may be many reasons for low rates of treatment presentation, research indicates that perceived and experienced stigma play a large role (Long 2017). Stigmatization experiences and fears may be especially salient for young people from communities with limited mental health awareness. For example, although Asian American youth experience elevated rates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors relative to their peers, research consistently reveals that these youth present to treatment at lower rates relative to other similarly-aged youth (Thompson & Bhugra, 2009; Ting & Hwang, 2010). Given the negative long-term consequences of self-harm, understanding Asian American youth’s experiences with self-harm, treatment seeking, and stigmatization is urgently needed to improve treatment efficacy and accessibility.

The current study is part of a larger, parent study focused on understanding the lived experience of self-harm, treatment-seeking, and stigma among racial, ethnic, gender, and sexually diverse youth. In the parent study, four semi-structured focus groups were conducted with youth (n=20) aged 16-24 recruited throughout the greater Los Angeles area. Domains assessed included: 1) self-harm motivations; 2) self-harm disclosure; 3) treatment initiation; 4) positive treatment experiences; 5) negative treatment experiences; 6) perceived and experienced stigma; and 7) recommendations for clinical practice. Interviews were recorded and professionally transcribed verbatim. Qualitative and thematic analysis is currently being conducted in nVivo by a team of trained coders using an a-priori coding guide. Analyses will be complete by 5/1/2024. The current study examines the responses of Asian-American participants (n=8), and preliminary analyses indicate that cultural heritage was related to increased difficulty disclosing self-harm, asking for help, negative parent reactions, and stigma. In addition, preliminary analyses demonstrate that Asian American participants regularly experienced feelings of self-blame and guilt and reported feeling misunderstood and invalidated in treatment. These findings will be used to inform clinical training and develop public health and educational materials to support clinicians and trusted adults in effectively responding to self-harm.