Addressing Self-Injury Stigma: The Promise of Innovative Digital and Video Action-Research Methods

Stigma associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the deliberate damage of one’s body tissue for non-lethal reasons, is highly complex, far-reaching, and can have profound effects (e.g., shame, low self-esteem, thwarted help-seeking) on individuals with lived experience of NSSI. In concert with calls for greater inclusion of people with lived experience in NSSI research and advocacy, there are several robust and potentially impactful visual and digital research methods that directly involve individuals with lived experience, and which carry potential to tackle stigma. These methods, namely digital storytelling, photovoice, and participatory video, are largely underrepresented in contemporary NSSI research. Hence, the present commentary presents a concise overview of these methods and highlights their potential to address NSSI stigma.