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The prevalence of self-cutting and other self-harm among 13- to 18-year-old Finnish adolescents

Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology volume 44, pages 23–28 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Background

Deliberate self-harm has become more prevalent among adolescents.

Aims

To investigate the prevalence and the associated background factors of self-cutting and other self-harming behaviour.

Methods

The study sample included 4,205 adolescents aged 13–18 years. Background factors, social relationships, alcohol and substance abuse, self-harm and self-cutting were assessed by a structured questionnaire including the Youth Self Report and Beck Depression Inventory.

Results

The life-time prevalence of self-cutting was 11.5% and of other self-harm 10.2%, while the prevalence of current self-cutting was 1.8%. Self-cutting was associated with female gender and a very wide range of adverse psychosocial background variables. Parents living together were an independent protective factor. By contrast, there was no gender difference in the risk of other self-harm. Independent risk factors were depressive mood, somatic complaints, drug abuse, poor school performance and poor family relationships. No protective factors were found for other self-harm.

Conclusions

During adolescence, self-cutting and other self-harm are common. Adolescents who have self-cutting or harm themselves have wide-ranging problems in their lives. The specific characteristics of these phenomena need further investigation.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Adolescent Psychiatry, University Hospital of Kuopio, P.O. Box 1777, 70211, Kuopio, Finland

    Eila Laukkanen PhD, MD & Tommi Tolmunen MD, PhD

  2. Dept. of Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    Marja-Liisa Rissanen RN, MNSc, PhD(c) & Kirsi Honkalampi PhD

  3. Dept. of Nursing Science, University of Kuopio, Kuopio, Finland

    Jari Kylmä RN, PhD

  4. Dept. of Psychiatry, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    Jukka Hintikka MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Eila Laukkanen PhD, MD
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  2. Marja-Liisa Rissanen RN, MNSc, PhD(c)
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  3. Kirsi Honkalampi PhD
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  4. Jari Kylmä RN, PhD
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  5. Tommi Tolmunen MD, PhD
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  6. Jukka Hintikka MD, PhD
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Laukkanen, E., Rissanen, ML., Honkalampi, K. et al. The prevalence of self-cutting and other self-harm among 13- to 18-year-old Finnish adolescents. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 44, 23–28 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0398-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-008-0398-x

Keywords

  • self-cutting
  • self-harm
  • adolescents