Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland.
BACKGROUND: The suicide rate in Scotland is twice as high as that in England. However, the prevalence of self-harm is unknown. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of self-harm in adolescents in Scotland and the factors associated with it. METHOD: A total of 2008 pupils aged 15-16 years completed an a...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Journal article |
| Language: | English |
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2009
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| _version_ | 1797050785791475712 |
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| author | O'Connor, R Rasmussen, S Miles, J Hawton, K |
| author_facet | O'Connor, R Rasmussen, S Miles, J Hawton, K |
| author_sort | O'Connor, R |
| collection | OXFORD |
| description | BACKGROUND: The suicide rate in Scotland is twice as high as that in England. However, the prevalence of self-harm is unknown. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of self-harm in adolescents in Scotland and the factors associated with it. METHOD: A total of 2008 pupils aged 15-16 years completed an anonymous lifestyle and coping survey. Information was obtained on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, life events and problems, social influences, psychological variables and self-harm. RESULTS: Self-harm was reported by 13.8% of the respondents. The majority (71%) of those who had self-harmed had done so in the past 12 months and girls were approximately 3.4 times more likely to report self-harm than boys. In multivariate analyses, smoking, bullying, worries about sexual orientation, self-harm by family and anxiety were associated with self-harm in both genders. In addition, drug use, physical abuse, serious boy/girlfriend problems, self-harm by friends and low levels of optimism were also associated with self-harm in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Despite markedly different national suicide rates, the prevalence of self-harm in Scotland is similar to that in England with girls at least three times more likely to report self-harm than boys. The findings suggest a role for emotional literacy programmes in schools and highlight the importance of promoting positive mental health among adolescents. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:10:21Z |
| format | Journal article |
| id | oxford-uuid:02cbbdf3-dc83-4c0a-8e55-f90c57b3dccd |
| institution | University of Oxford |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-06T18:10:21Z |
| publishDate | 2009 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | oxford-uuid:02cbbdf3-dc83-4c0a-8e55-f90c57b3dccd2022-03-26T08:42:42ZSelf-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland.Journal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:02cbbdf3-dc83-4c0a-8e55-f90c57b3dccdEnglishSymplectic Elements at Oxford2009O'Connor, RRasmussen, SMiles, JHawton, K BACKGROUND: The suicide rate in Scotland is twice as high as that in England. However, the prevalence of self-harm is unknown. AIMS: To determine the prevalence of self-harm in adolescents in Scotland and the factors associated with it. METHOD: A total of 2008 pupils aged 15-16 years completed an anonymous lifestyle and coping survey. Information was obtained on demographic characteristics, lifestyle, life events and problems, social influences, psychological variables and self-harm. RESULTS: Self-harm was reported by 13.8% of the respondents. The majority (71%) of those who had self-harmed had done so in the past 12 months and girls were approximately 3.4 times more likely to report self-harm than boys. In multivariate analyses, smoking, bullying, worries about sexual orientation, self-harm by family and anxiety were associated with self-harm in both genders. In addition, drug use, physical abuse, serious boy/girlfriend problems, self-harm by friends and low levels of optimism were also associated with self-harm in girls. CONCLUSIONS: Despite markedly different national suicide rates, the prevalence of self-harm in Scotland is similar to that in England with girls at least three times more likely to report self-harm than boys. The findings suggest a role for emotional literacy programmes in schools and highlight the importance of promoting positive mental health among adolescents. |
| spellingShingle | O'Connor, R Rasmussen, S Miles, J Hawton, K Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title | Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title_full | Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title_fullStr | Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title_full_unstemmed | Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title_short | Self-harm in adolescents: self-report survey in schools in Scotland. |
| title_sort | self harm in adolescents self report survey in schools in scotland |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT oconnorr selfharminadolescentsselfreportsurveyinschoolsinscotland AT rasmussens selfharminadolescentsselfreportsurveyinschoolsinscotland AT milesj selfharminadolescentsselfreportsurveyinschoolsinscotland AT hawtonk selfharminadolescentsselfreportsurveyinschoolsinscotland |