<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjcapp-2014-003_s_001"><h3>Background:</h3><p>Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and indirect self-harm are prevalent among adolescents, but it is rare to see them described as related topics.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2014-003_s_002"><h3>Objective:</h3><p>The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between the frequencies of NSSI and indirect self-harm (e.g., eating problems, alcohol and drug use) and how this may be influenced by gender.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2014-003_s_003"><h3>Method:</h3><p>Questionnaires about NSSI (e.g., cutting, burning, scratching, hitting oneself) and indirect self-harm were distributed to high school students in the Copenhagen area (N = 5650; response rate 53%; females 60.8%).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2014-003_s_004"><h3>Results:</h3><p>A total of 21.5% of the survey respondents had engaged in NSSI (lifetime prevalence), and 16.2% had practiced NSSI within the previous year. Gender differences in NSSI methods were identified. A total of 53.9% of the students had engaged in one or more types of indirect self-harm. The correlation between NSSI and indirect self-harm is twice as high for males (0.44; <italic toggle="yes">P</italic> ` .001) as compared with females (0.20; <italic toggle="yes">P</italic> ` .001).</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2014-003_s_005"><h3>Conclusions:</h3><p>Clinicians must be aware of both NSSI and indirect self-harm. A positive correlation is seen, especially among young males. Males often perform other kinds of NSSI as compared with females, and clinicians must look for gender-specific signs of NSSI. It is argued that NSSI can be perceived as a “social pathology,” but it is also indicated that NSSI and indirect self-harm can be evaluated as an expression of ordinary behavior among modern high school students that must not be medicalized.</p></sec></abstract>

Background:Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and indirect self-harm are prevalent among adolescents, but it is rare to see them described as related topics.Objective:The purpose of this study was to investigate whether there is a correlation between the frequencies of NSSI and indirect self-harm (e.g., eating problems, alcohol and drug use) and how this may be influenced by gender.Method:Questionnaires about NSSI (e.g., cutting, burning, scratching, hitting oneself) and indirect self-harm were distributed to high school students in the Copenhagen area (N = 5650; response rate 53%; females 60.8%).Results:A total of 21.5% of the survey respondents had engaged in NSSI (lifetime prevalence), and 16.2% had practiced NSSI within the previous year. Gender differences in NSSI methods were identified. A total of 53.9% of the students had engaged in one or more types of indirect self-harm. The correlation between NSSI and indirect self-harm is twice as high for males (0.44; P ` .001) as compared with females (0.20; P ` .001).Conclusions:Clinicians must be aware of both NSSI and indirect self-harm. A positive correlation is seen, especially among young males. Males often perform other kinds of NSSI as compared with females, and clinicians must look for gender-specific signs of NSSI. It is argued that NSSI can be perceived as a “social pathology,” but it is also indicated that NSSI and indirect self-harm can be evaluated as an expression of ordinary behavior among modern high school students that must not be medicalized.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Indirect Self-Harm Among Danish High School Students

Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Background:Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and indirect self-harm are prevalent among adolescents, but it is rare to see them described as related...

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Indirect Self-Harm Among Danish High School Students

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2013

Page range: 11 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2014-003

Keywords
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), methods of non-suicidal self-injury, gender-specific NSSI, indirect self-harm, adolescents, social pathology

© 2014 Bo MÃ¸hl et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Indirect Self-Harm Among Danish High School Students

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2013

Page range: 11 - 18

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2014-003

KeywordsNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), methods of non-suicidal self-injury, gender-specific NSSI, indirect self-harm, adolescents, social pathology

© 2014 Bo MÃ¸hl et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), methods of non-suicidal self-injury, gender-specific NSSI, indirect self-harm, adolescents, social pathology