Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: A systematic review of self-reported accounts

Edmondson, Amanda J., Brennan, C.A. and House, A.O. (2016) Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: A systematic review of self-reported accounts. Journal of Affective Disorders, 191. pp. 109-117. ISSN 0165-0327

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Abstract

Background: Self-harm is a major public health problem yet current healthcare provision is widely regarded as inadequate. One of the barriers to effective healthcare is the lack of a clear understanding of the functions self-harm may serve for the individual. The aim of this review is to identify first-hand accounts of the reasons for self-harm from the individual’s perspective.

Method: A systematic review of the literature reporting first-hand accounts of the reasons for self-harm other than intent to die. A thematic analysis and ‘best fit’ framework synthesis was undertaken to classify the responses.

Results: The most widely researched non-suicidal reasons for self-harm were dealing with distress and exerting interpersonal influence. However, many first-hand accounts included reasons such as self-validation, and self-harm to achieve a personal sense of mastery, which suggests individuals thought there were positive or adaptive functions of the act not based only on its social effects.

Limitations: Associations with different sub-population characteristics or with the method of harm were not available from most studies included in the analysis.

Conclusions: Our review identified a number of themes that are relatively neglected in discussions about self-harm, which we summarised as self-harm as a positive experience and defining the self. These self-reported “positive” reasons may be important in understanding and responding especially to repeated acts of self-harm.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	R Medicine > R Medicine (General) R Medicine > RT Nursing
Schools:	School of Human and Health Sciences > Centre for Applied Psychological Research
Depositing User:	Amanda Edmondson
Date Deposited:	13 Jun 2016 09:30
Last Modified:	30 Mar 2018 17:46
URI:	http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/id/eprint/28534

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