Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Bangladesh: A Narrative Review

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has received global academic attention in recent decades. However, little is known about NSSI behavior in Bangladesh. We aimed to overview NSSI in Bangladesh based on available evidence.

PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, Google, and BanglaJOL were searched to identify the research articles published on NSSI in Bangladesh with search terms. Research studies assessing NSSI among Bangladeshi citizens living in Bangladesh, and studies published in English language were included.

Ten studies (cross-sectional 9, case-control 1) were included in this review published between 1984 and 2024 with sample sizes between 51 and 383. The majority of the studies (n = 7) were conducted among clinical samples (attended for medical care). Five studies included participants with only nonsuicidal intents. The prevalence of NSSI was 17% among students and 40.2% among gay populations. Self-cutting (39%), and burning (26%) are the notable methods of NSSI among the patients of substance abuse. Family conflict, marital discord, premarital affair issues, extramarital relationships, and adverse life events were the major associated psychosocial factors along with psychiatric disorders as biological factors.

This review identified the spectrum of research conducted on NSSI highlighting the rate, methods, and associated factors in Bangladesh. It indicates a dearth of studies on NSSI among community populations assessing its burden and risk factors in Bangladesh.