Repetition of Deliberate Self-Harm by Adolescents: the Role of Psychological Factors

The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between psychological variables & repetition of deliberate self-harm in a group of 45 adolescents, age 13-18 years, who had been admitted to hospital following an overdose. Adolescents with a history of previous overdose &/or who repeated self-harm during the following year (n=18) differed from nonrepeaters in having higher scores for depression, hopelessness, & trait anger & lower scores for self-esteem, self-rated problem-solving & effectiveness of problem-solving. These differences largely disappeared when level of depression was controlled for. Similarly, differences between the 2 groups for problem-solving were much reduced when differences in depression scores were taken into account. In the management of adolescents who have harmed themselves, careful assessment of depression & appropriate management of those who are depressed is essential. (40 refs.)