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Factors associated with deliberate self-harm among Irish adolescents
E M McMahon1, U Reulbach, P Corcoran
1National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork, Republic of Ireland.
Psychological Medicine
|January 9, 2010
Summary
Deliberate self-harm (DSH) in Irish adolescents is linked to drug use and peer behavior. Gender-specific factors like self-esteem issues in girls and bullying in boys also contribute to DSH risk.
Area of Science:
- Adolescent Health
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a significant public health concern among adolescents.
- Lifetime prevalence of DSH in Irish adolescents ranges from 8% to 12%, with girls being three times more affected than boys.
- Identifying risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To identify psychological, lifestyle, and life event factors associated with DSH in Irish adolescents.
- To understand gender-specific risk profiles for self-harm.
- To inform the development of school-based prevention strategies.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional study involving 3881 adolescents from 39 schools.
- Anonymous questionnaire data collection as part of the Child and Adolescent Self-harm in Europe (CASE) study.
- Inclusion of demographic, psychological, lifestyle, and life event factors, including self-harm history.
Main Results:
- Drug use and having a friend who self-harmed were significant factors for both genders.
- For girls, poor self-esteem, forced sexual activity, family self-harm, parental conflict, and friendship issues were associated with DSH.
- For boys, bullying, schoolwork problems, impulsivity, and anxiety were identified as risk factors.
Conclusions:
- Distinct psychological and lifestyle profiles for adolescent self-harm exist between genders.
- Risk factors extend beyond mental health to include lifestyle and life events.
- School-based, gender-specific interventions are needed to reduce DSH prevalence.
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