Self-harm in Secondary Students: Incidence and Surrounding Factors

Abstract

Self-harm is the bodily harm that an individual infringes upon himself intentionally, without the purpose of committing suicide and with the purpose of reducing or mitigating unpleasant sensations or thoughts that interfere with his well-being. Self-harm is socially disapproved and poses multiple dimensions of analysis linked to biological, cognitive, contextual, affective and behavioral factors. An investigation was conducted with 1274 high school students to identify the incidence and elements surrounding self-harm among adolescents. The results showed almost 20% average incidence; a ratio of self-harm of 2 to 1 women compared to men; the use of multiple methods for self-harm; greater frequency in the modalities of cutting, scratching and hitting, as well as wrist and arm as the preferred areas of self-injury; high tolerance to pain and majority use of sharp objects in the situation of self-harm; negative emotionality and family situations as elements surrounding the realization of self-harm; activities linked to daily life after self-harm. The coincidence with national and international results and the requirements to deepen the phenomenon are discussed.