This research aimed to develop a study to explore how sleep may influence self-harm thoughts and behaviours in young people. We worked directly with young people aged 16 to 24 years old, who have lived experience of self-harm, to co-design an Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) study; a method that tracks experiences and emotions in real-time in daily life.
Previous studies using EMA often don’t meaningfully involve young people in the design process. This project aimed to change that by collaborating with young people to shape an EMA protocol that feels safe, relevant and accessible.
Through workshops and testing the EMA tool in daily life, participants shared feedback to:
- Determine how often and when to collect data throughout the day.
- Develop sensitive and understandable questions around sleep and self-harm.
- Establish effective risk management and safety strategies.
All activities were designed to be flexible and supportive, allowing participants to contribute in a way that felt comfortable for them.
You can read more about the work that initially informed the protocol by clicking here
What’s next?
This project resulted in a co-designed EMA protocol, which we are now testing with young people.
See the recruitment poster below for more details about the ongoing study.
Meet the research team
Bethany Martin, Dr Susan Rasmussen, Dr Kirsten Russell, Dr Megan Crawford, Scott Thomson, Xavier Chan
Contact: bethany.martin@strath.ac.uk