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Deliberate self-harm and childhood hyperactivity in junior high school students
Takashi Izutsu1, Sakie Shimotsu, Toshihiko Matsumoto
1Dept. of Forensic Psychiatry, National Institute of Mental Health, National Center of Neurology and Psychiatry, Kodaira, Tokyo 187, Japan. izutsu@gakushikai.jp
European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
|February 1, 2006
Summary
Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a significant issue among Japanese junior high students, with rates of self-cutting and self-hitting observed. Childhood hyperactivity, measured by the Wender Utah Rating Scale, was strongly associated with these harmful behaviors.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Adolescent Health
- Public Health
Background:
- Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a growing concern in adolescent populations worldwide.
- Understanding the prevalence and correlates of DSH in junior high school students is crucial for early intervention.
- Childhood hyperactivity is a potential risk factor that warrants further investigation in relation to DSH.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of deliberate self-harm (DSH) behaviors, including self-cutting and self-hitting, among junior high school students in Japan.
- To examine the relationship between DSH and substance use (tobacco and alcohol).
- To investigate the association between DSH and childhood hyperactivity, assessed using the Wender Utah Rating Scale (WURS).
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 239 male and 238 female junior high school students in Kanagawa, Japan.
- Self-reporting questionnaires were used to collect data on DSH behaviors, substance use, and childhood hyperactivity (WURS).
- Statistical analyses were performed to compare WURS scores between students with and without DSH experiences.
Main Results:
- Prevalence rates for self-cutting were 8.00% (males) and 9.30% (females); for self-hitting, 27.70% (males) and 12.20% (females).
- Substance use was prevalent: tobacco use was reported by 33.10% (males) and 14.30% (females); alcohol use by 74.10% (males) and 63.40% (females).
- Significantly higher WURS scores were found in students reporting problematic behaviors (DSH and substance use) compared to those without, indicating a strong association with childhood hyperactivity (P < 0.01, except self-cutting in females, P < 0.05).
Conclusions:
- Deliberate self-harm is a significant mental health problem among junior high school students.
- Childhood hyperactivity is strongly associated with deliberate self-harm and substance use in this age group.
- These findings highlight the need for targeted mental health support and early identification of risk factors like hyperactivity in adolescents.