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Characteristics of non-suicidal self-injury in women accessing internet help sites

Version 2 2024-06-03, 09:36
Version 1 2016-07-27, 13:04
journal contribution
posted on 2024-06-03, 09:36 authored by EB Black, Helen MildredHelen Mildred
Background: This article aimed to examine and compare the frequency of occurrence of a broad range of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviours in an international sample of women. Methods: Female participants with NSSI (n = 464) were recruited via a range of websites and completed a questionnaire examining 17 different types of NSSI types and their frequency, severity, and duration. Results: Prevalent acts were cutting, scratching, and word carving; cutting and scratching occurred frequently, whilst word carving most often occurred as a single episode. Analyses revealed significant differences between Australian and U.S. participants, with U.S. participants having significantly higher rates of cutting, wound interference, carving, scratching, and sharp object sticking. Participants also reported on other self-harm methods not assessed by the questionnaire. Conclusions: Word carving may be qualitatively different from other forms of NSSI. More severe NSSI methods (e.g., bone breaking) are less prevalent than less dangerous methods (e.g., scratching). Participants considered a range of indirectly harmful or suicidal behaviours as self-injury contrary to researcher or clinician understanding. Finally, there may be cultural differences in relation to NSSI between countries where such behaviours are common, although further research is required to determine this.

History

Journal

Clinical psychologist

Volume

22

Pagination

37-45

Location

Chichester, England

ISSN

1328-4207

eISSN

1742-9552

Language

eng

Publication classification

C Journal article, C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journal

Copyright notice

2016, The Australian Psychological Society

Issue

1

Publisher

Wiley-Blackwell