Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the self-inflicted damage to body tissue without conscious suicidal intent (e.g., cutting; burning) is the most reliable predictor of later suicidal thoughts and behaviours. Up to one in five community-based adolescents engage in NSSI, making it of particular concern to schools. However NSSI is also highly prevalent among young adults, particularly university/college students. Adolescence and emerging adulthood are particularly turbulent periods of human development; understanding how NSSI is initiated and maintained, and how resilience is built, throughout this period is crucial to the development of successful prevention and intervention initiatives. Yet, the high rate of NSSI among students in schools and colleges poses unique challenges within these educational settings.
To tackle these challenges and others related to the educational environment, we founded the International Consortium on Self-Injury in Educational Settings (ICSES). ICSES is an, interdisciplinary and international research group consistent of leading researchers in the field of NSSI. Our research expertise covers psycho-social-cognitive factors, which underlie NSSI, neurobiology of NSSI, factors associated with stigma and the experience of recovery, the communications of NSSI online, education and training needs of school personnel, implementation and evaluation of school-based intervention, and the relationship between family functioning and NSSI.