Page 91

GRANT

journal

ISSN 1805-062X, 1805-0638 (online), ETTN 072-11-00002-09-4

EUROPEAN GRANT PROJECTS | RESULTS | RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT | SCIENCE

Reasons for self-harming behavior among adolescent boys and girls: the
context of the nuclear and a single-parent family

Ivana Václaviková

Zuzana Jurčigová

University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Department of psychology; Nám. J. Herdu 2, Trnava 917 01 Slovakia; ivana.vaclavikova@ucm.sk

University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius, Department of psychology; Nám. J. Herdu 2, Trnava 917 01 Slovakia; zuzanajurcigova@gmail.com

Grant: APVV-17-0123
Name of the Grant: Self-harm: definition, prevalence, influencing factors and implications for clinical interventions.
Subject: AN - Psychologie

Abstract Self-harm is a type of relatively frequent risk behavior in
young people. Especially in the last years (or decades), self-harming
behavior is considered to be one of the major public health problems
being high in teenage years. As the reasons that lead to self-harm
may differ based on specific family circumstances, to identify the
most frequent motives for self-harming behavior among adolescents
in the context of living in a nuclear or single-parent family is the
aim of this study. The pilot study was conducted in 235 participants
(age range 11 to 18 years). The modified version of the SHI
questionnaire (Self-Harm Inventory – Sansone & Sansone, 2010)
and ISAS (Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury – Klonsky &
Glenn, 2009) was used to identify reasons for self-harming among
participants. Results showed that the most often reasons for self-
harming behavior among young people are those which belong to
the areas of self-punishment and emotion regulation.

Key words self-harm, motives, adolescent boys and girls, family

INTRODUCTION

Self-harm is a type of relatively frequent risk behavior in young
people, which has undergone many changes in recent decades,
whether in the area of prevalence, comorbidity, or increased rates of
its forms. It is often studied among psychiatric patients (e.g. Lauw,
Abraham & Loh, 2018), and usually reported only as a part of other
disorders. Recently, the focus becomes much more oriented on the
prevalence of self-harming behavior in the nonclinical population
(Nixon, Cloutier & Jansson, 2008; Démuth & Démuthová, 2019).
Research focuses on self-harm and what its adequate definition
should be, what are the ways, reasons and sources of self-harm
(Démuthová & Václaviková, 2019) as well as its correlates
(Démuthová & Rojková, 2019; Doktorová, 2019). Of course,
research attention is devoted also to the relationship between this
self-aggressive and suicidal behavior (Hawton, Saunders, &
O’Connor, 2012; Šefarová, 2019).

Tisovičová (2007) emphasizes the fact, that the period of early
adolescence requires increased attention in the topic of the self-
harm, because it is a period of positive (signs of euphoria) and
negative (signs of depression) developmental waves. Adolescence, a
developmental period of complex biological and psychological
transformations that underlie a wide range of behaviors, is perceived
as a period of increased risk of manifestations of problem behavior

in many forms (Modecki, 2016). Definitely, self-harming behavior
could be one of them; based on findings from many international
studies, Hawton et al. (2012) claim that around 10% of adolescent
youth report having self-harmed, girls significantly more often than
boys. Question is, if there is a difference in frequency of self-harm
only, or if girls also cause harm themselves for different reasons.

Self-harm refers to intentional self-poisoning or self-injury,
irrespective of the type of motive, or the extent of suicidal intent
(Hawton et al., 2012). It is considered to be auto-aggressive and
conscious, with a repetitive character and, although the main goal of
this activity may not be the suicide, it could happen to be the more
or less (in)voluntary result.

There are many ways in which an individual can intentionally harm
him- or herself. Suyemoto (1998) includes cutting the skin on the
wrist and other parts of the body to the most common methods,
other possibilities are burning the skin with acid, fire or embers, or
swallowing various objects (McManus, Hassiotis, Jenkins, & al.,
2014).

According to research (e.g. Evans, Hawton, & Rodham, 2004;
Hawton et al., 2012), self-harm (and suicide) in adolescents are the
endproducts of a complex interplay between genetic, biological,
psychiatric, psychological, social, and cultural factors. In general,
deliberate self-harm was more common in adolescents who used
drugs, were bullied, physically or sexually harassed, and showed
signs of depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and decreased self-esteem.
Another psychological factors are perfectionism (Doktorová, 2019),
helplessness and underdeveloped ability to solve problems as well
as low ability to cope with stressful situations. Among individuals
predisposed to biological, personality, and cognitive vulnerabilities
in combination with exposure to negative life events, including both
early and recent life adversity, and psychiatric disorders, there is a
higher risk of self-destructive behaviors across the lifespan. From
the external environment, several risk factors have been identified;
including dysfunctional family background (Suyemoto, 1998),
experience of childhood trauma, neglect, and insecure attachment
(Gratz, 2003). Hofmann (2006) names risk factors that cause mental
injuries to individuals, such as violent attacks, rape, life-threatening
experiences, and long-term abuse.

Tripković et al. (2017) examined the relationship between the
degree of self-harm in 701 adolescents (aged 14 to 19) and their
financial conditions and marital status in the family. The results of

Vol. 9, Issue 1