Some aspects of self-mutilation in the general population of a large psychiatric hospital

Summary

The entire population of a large psychiatric hospital was screened with regard to the clinical symptom of self-mutilation. One out of every 23 patients, or 4.29 per cent, presented as at least one symptom a significant tendency toward self-injury. The attacks of men upon their bodies appeared generally more violent than those of women upon theirs. The frequency of self-mutilation by males was strikingly less than by females, 1∶2.81. This frequency of self-mutilation, short of suicide, was almost the inverse of that of accomplished suicide in males as compared with females, 3.67∶1.