The Medical Research Foundation has announced six new research projects aimed at tackling self-harm and suicide, including an innovative study led by Dr Naomi Warne at the University of Bristol. Her project explores a vital but under-researched question: can taking part in the arts help protect young people from self-harm and suicidal thoughts?
Backed by £441,613 in Medical Research Foundation funding, Dr Warne's research will investigate whether creative activities - such as painting, music, theatre, creative writing and filmmaking - can play a meaningful role in prevention. Although arts engagement is known to support young people's mental health, its specific impact on self-harm and suicide risk remains unclear.
The project will be co-designed with young people who have lived experience and developed in partnership with the UK self-harm support charity, Sift, as well as collaborators in Sri Lanka. Using long-term data from young people across both countries, the team will examine:
- which types of arts engagement are most protective
- who benefits the most
- whether the effects are unique to arts participation
The findings will directly inform the creation of inclusive arts-based wellbeing sessions for UK secondary schools, designed to prevent self-harm and suicide. This builds on Dr Warne's previous work, developing arts-based programmes for anxiety and depression, and aims to deliver a robust, evidence-based prevention approach for young people.
You can find out more here