SORTS publications
Pierret, A. C., Anderson, J. K., Ford, T. J., & Burn, A. M. (2022). Education and training interventions, and support tools for school staff to adequately respond to young people who disclose self‐harm–a systematic literature review of effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability. Child and adolescent mental health, 27(2), 161-172.
Colville, L., Anderson, J. K., & Burn, A. M. (2024). How schools can respond to pupils who self-harm: a qualitative study with young people and school staff. Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties, 1-15.
Burn, A. M., Hall, P., & Anderson, J. (2024). A web-based training program for school staff to respond to self-harm: design and development of the supportive response to self-harm program. JMIR formative research, 8(1), e50024.
Burn A, Gains H, Anderson J (2025). A Self-Harm Awareness Training Module for School Staff: Co-Design and User Testing Study. JMIR Form Res 2025;9:e69309
1. Systematic review to investigate the effectiveness, feasibility and acceptability of training interventions and support tools intended to equip school staff with skills and knowledge to adequately respond to students’ disclosure of self-harm. Eight studies were included, all of which evaluated interventions/tools that were highly effective in terms of an increase in knowledge, skills and confidence of staff in responding to self-harming youth.
2.Qualitative study to explore the expectations of young people and the needs of staff when responding to self-harm. The study found that school staff feel they lack of knowledge and confidence to appropriately respond to self-harm. They said there are several systemic barriers and facilitators to help-seeking in schools but positive relationships can help facilitate help-seeking.
3. Coproduction of the SORTS website and resource toolkit. Thie study describes how SORTS was co-produced with stakeholders to ensure that the intervention meets their requirements.
4. Co-design of the SORTS e-learning module. The e-learning module is free for schools to use and can be accessed here.
All research at the Department of Psychiatry in the University of Cambridge is supported by the NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR203312) and the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NIHR or the Department of Health and Social Care. Drs Burn and Anderson were supported by the NIHR Applied Research Collaboration East of England.
