Dr Emma Diggins is a Consultant Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist who is currently undertaking an NIHR funded doctoral fellowship at the University of Leeds titled “Understanding Gender Differences in Self-Harm in Young People”.
The study comprises 3 workstreams;
1. Quantitative analysis of gender differences in risk factors for self-harm across adolescence, using longitudinal data from the Millennium Cohort Study.
2. Longitudinal qualitative study with mixed creative methods. Over 2-3 interviews participants will bring and create images to help explain their motivation for and experiences of self-harm. Interviews will be analysed by gender using poly-textual thematic analysis to identify gender differences in emerging themes.
3. An experience based co-design project where staff and patients work collaboratively.
Findings from workstreams 1 and 2 will be presented to participants to provide a stimulus for identifying areas for gender-sensitive improvement in clinical care and subsequent practical solutions. Young people will be supported through creative workshops to develop dissemination material.
Findings will be summarised in a logic model which will form the foundation for post-doctoral work in developing a complex intervention for self-harm.
In her clinical time, Emma works in the Crisis Team for Leeds Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service (CAMHS).