Peer-reviewed article
Early interventions for self-harm among children and young people in educational and primary-care settings: a scoping review.
Sweetmore A, Singleton H, Luce A, Holley D, Margoum M ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This scoping review examined interventions to prevent or reduce self-harm among children and young people aged 25 and under in schools and primary-care settings. The review found 22 studies evaluating various approaches, including psycho-educational programmes, screening tools, mindfulness interventions, and digital apps. Only four of twelve studies with quantitative outcomes reported significant reductions in self-harm thoughts or behaviours, and most studies were small-scale and short-term. The review concludes that while psycho-educational and brief psychotherapeutic interventions in schools show potential benefits, more rigorous research with longer follow-up and better harm monitoring is needed, especially in primary-care settings.
Key points
- Twenty-two studies were included, with five randomised controlled trials, five other quantitative evaluations, four mixed-methods studies, seven qualitative enquiries, and one implementation report
- Most interventions were delivered in educational settings; primary care was under-represented
- Psycho-educational programmes were the most common intervention type, followed by screening or early-identification approaches and mindfulness interventions
- Only four of twelve studies with quantitative outcomes reported significant reductions in self-harm thoughts or behaviours
- Adverse-event reporting and harm monitoring were limited across included studies
Limitations
This is a scoping review mapping the literature rather than a meta-analysis, so it does not provide pooled estimates of effectiveness. The review does not specify which countries the included studies came from, limiting understanding of geographic applicability and the quality of evidence across different health systems.
Abstract
Self-harm among children and young people is a major public-health concern associated with substantially elevated risk of adverse outcomes including suicide. Educational and primary-care settings are frequent points of contact, prompting diverse prevention and early-intervention efforts, yet the scope and effectiveness of these remain unclear. This scoping review mapped and synthesised empirical studies evaluating interventions designed to prevent or reduce self-harm in individuals aged 25 years or younger within educational or general-practice contexts. Following JBI and PRISMA-ScR guidance, seven databases and grey-literature sources were searched to July 2025. Twenty-two studies met inclusion criteria: five randomised controlled trials, five other quantitative evaluations, four mixed-methods studies, seven qualitative enquiries, and one implementation report. Most were delivered in educational settings; primary care remained under-represented. Psycho-educational programmes were most common, followed by screening or early-identification approaches, mindfulness or expressive-therapeutic interventions, an integrated service model, professional training, and a digital self-help app. Of twelve studies with quantitative outcomes, four reported significant reductions in self-harm thoughts or behaviours, although most were small-scale and short-term. Adverse-event reporting and harm monitoring were limited. Evidence indicates potential benefits of psycho-educational and brief psychotherapeutic interventions in schools, but further multi-site trials with longer follow-up and robust harm-monitoring protocols are needed, particularly within primary care.