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Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents
Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents
Introduction increasingly evident that it presents inde- include scratching, cutting, punching, or
pendently of other mental illness [7]. banging objects with the conscious inten-
What constitutes non-suicidal self-injury In general, U.S. studies tend to find that tion of self-injury; punching or banging
(NSSI) is a matter of some debate, but its lifetime prevalence of common NSSI oneself; biting, ripping, or tearing the skin;
growing presence in mainstream and ranges from 12% to 37.2% in secondary carving on the self; and burning
popular media as well as the growing school populations [8] and 12% to 20% [9,13,14,15,16]. Where on the body one
number of anecdotal reports by physi- [7,9] in late adolescent and young adult injures may be important as well. Injuries
cians, therapists, and junior and senior populations. NSSI scholarship consistently inflicted on the face, eyes, neck in the
high school counselors suggest that it may shows an average age of onset between 11 jugular region, breast, or genitals, for
be, as some have called it, ‘‘the next teen and 15 y [8,9,10,11,12] with a normally instance, may be clinically indicative of
disorder’’ [1]. Referred to in the literature distributed age of onset ranging from greater psychological disturbance than
and media as ‘‘self-injurious behavior,’’ about 10–24 [9]. Of all youth reporting when injuries are inflicted elsewhere
‘‘self-injury,’’ ‘‘self-harm,’’ ‘‘self-mutila- any NSSI, over three quarters report [17,18]. The majority of young people
tion,’’ or ‘‘cutting,’’ self-injury is typically repeat NSSI (.1 episode) [9] and an reporting repeat self-injury also report
defined as the deliberate, self-inflicted estimated 6%–7% of adolescents report using multiple methods and multiple body
destruction of body tissue without suicidal current repetitive NSSI (NSSI in the past locations [9].
intent and for purposes not socially year) [7,8,9]. Overall, about a quarter of Most studies show females slightly more
sanctioned [2]. Although most often not all adolescents and young adults with likely to practice NSSI than males (un-
a suicidal gesture, it is statistically associ- NSSI history report practicing NSSI only published data) [9,19]. Recent work sug-
ated with suicide and can result in once in their lives [9,13], but since even a gests that there may be different self-injury
unanticipated severe harm or fatality single NSSI episode is significantly corre- groups or ‘‘classes,’’ one of which consists
[3,4,5]. lated with a history of abuse and comorbid largely of men who use self-injury forms
conditions such as suicidality and psychi- that can be described as ‘‘self-battery’’
What Do We Know about NSSI atric distress, there may be a group of and/or who practice NSSI in social
Prevalence and Characteristics adolescents in which a single incident of settings [20]. Findings with regard to race
in Adolescents? NSSI serves as a risk indicator for other and NSSI are mixed, with some studies
risk behaviors or pathology [9]. Duration suggesting that it may be more common
Although study of NSSI in adolescence of NSSI is understudied, but available among Caucasians [21] and others show-
is relatively new, empirical advances in evidence suggests that among individuals ing similarly high rates in minority samples
NSSI research over the past several years with a history of repeat NSSI, the majority [9,22]. There is also evidence linking NSSI
have resulted in a solid foundation of (79.8%) reported stopping NSSI within to sexual orientation such that incidence of
knowledge about basic epidemiological 5 y of starting and 40% reported stopping NSSI is slightly elevated among those who
parameters. Many normally developing within 1 y of starting [9]. report exclusive homosexual attraction
youth practice what is typically referred NSSI differs from culturally sanctioned and some same-sex attraction, and it is
to as common NSSI [6]. This form of self- self-injury, such as piercing or tattooing, very elevated among individuals with
injury includes NSSI that is (a) compulsive by intention rather than form as well as by bisexual and questioning sexual orienta-
(ritualistic and rarely premeditated such as injurious agent (piercing and tattooing are tion status (unpublished data) [9].
hair pulling or trichotillomania), (b) epi- most commonly performed by someone Although empirical attention devoted to
sodic (every so often and with no identi- other than oneself, while the reverse is NSSI varies dramatically around the
fication as someone who self-injures), and usually true for NSSI). Although most world, it is clear that NSSI is globally
(c) repetitive (performed on a regular basis often associated with the term ‘‘cutting,’’ present and prevalent. The U.K., for
and with ego identification as someone the most common forms among youth example, has dedicated national resources
who self-injures). Common NSSI can be
mild, moderate, or severe depending on
Citation: Whitlock J (2010) Self-Injurious Behavior in Adolescents. PLoS Med 7(5): e1000240. doi:10.1371/
the lethality of the injuries. Although journal.pmed.1000240
common NSSI can and does co-occur with
Published May 25, 2010
other DSM classifiable mental illnesses,
Copyright: ß 2010 Janis Whitlock. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative
such as depression or anxiety, it is also Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original author and source are credited.
Research in Translation discusses health interven- Funding: No specific funding was received for this piece.
tions in the context of translation from basic to Competing Interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.
clinical research, or from clinical evidence to
practice. * E-mail: Jlw43@cornell.edu
Provenance: Commissioned; externally peer reviewed.
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