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Hostility, hopelessness and deliberate self-harm: a prospective follow-up study
A D Brittlebank1, A Cole, F Hassanyeh
1Department of Psychiatry, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom.
Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Patients who repeat deliberate self-harm (DSH) show higher hopelessness and hostility. These measures may help identify individuals at greater risk for future DSH episodes.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a significant public health concern.
- Identifying individuals at high risk for repeated DSH is crucial for intervention.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate psychological predictors of repeat deliberate self-harm.
- To explore the utility of hopelessness and hostility measures in assessing DSH risk.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 61 patients presenting after an episode of DSH.
- Assessment of hopelessness and intropunitive hostility levels.
- Follow-up to determine repeat DSH episodes.
Main Results:
- Patients with subsequent DSH episodes exhibited significantly higher levels of hopelessness.
- Repeat DSH was associated with higher levels of intropunitive hostility post-index episode.
- These psychological factors differentiated repeaters from non-repeaters.
Conclusions:
- Hopelessness and intropunitive hostility are significant indicators of vulnerability to repeat DSH.
- These measures can potentially identify individuals at higher risk for future self-harm.
- Further research is warranted to integrate these findings into clinical practice.