Abstract
The aim of this paper was to describe the prevalence of deliberate self-harm (DSH) and to determine the socio-demographic,
behavioral, and psychological correlates of DSH behaviors in Chinese adolescents and young adults in a representative sample
of the general population. The data were obtained from an epidemiologic study involving adolescents and young adults from
junior and senior schools and colleges located in eight provinces of China. A total of 17,622 cases were retained for analysis.
The relationship between the explanatory variables with self-harm was analyzed using a Pearson χ
2 test and a multinomial logistic regression model. A total of 3,001 (17.0%) students reported that they had harmed themselves
deliberately in the past 12 months. The act of DSH occurring 1 and >2 times accounted for 4.2% (742) and 12.8% (2,259) of all respondents, respectively. The most frequently reported form of
DSH was self-hitting. If the reference category was No DSH, the findings indicated that family composition, father’s education,
perceived family economic status, cigarette use, perceived body image, and higher scores in depression scales were important
concomitants of repeat-incidents of DSH. The students, in western areas, who were younger, reported that having unhealthy
weight control behaviors, and alcohol use had a higher risk for both types of DSH. Regarding students of age 15–18 years perceived
body image (too fat), having unhealthy weight control behaviors or a high level of depression symptoms demonstrated an elevated
risk for repeat-incident DSH when single-incident DSH was used as the reference category, whereas the students in middle area
reported family composition (both parents), education of the father (less than college) or alcohol use had a decreased risk
for repeat-incident DSH. The results of this study suggest that both types of DSH are associated with other wide-ranging problems
in the students’ lives. Despite their common features, these phenomena also differed from each other. It is necessary to investigate
the possible neurobiologic underpinnings of DSH within a longitudinal study to enhance the knowledge of this behavior.
behavioral, and psychological correlates of DSH behaviors in Chinese adolescents and young adults in a representative sample
of the general population. The data were obtained from an epidemiologic study involving adolescents and young adults from
junior and senior schools and colleges located in eight provinces of China. A total of 17,622 cases were retained for analysis.
The relationship between the explanatory variables with self-harm was analyzed using a Pearson χ
2 test and a multinomial logistic regression model. A total of 3,001 (17.0%) students reported that they had harmed themselves
deliberately in the past 12 months. The act of DSH occurring 1 and >2 times accounted for 4.2% (742) and 12.8% (2,259) of all respondents, respectively. The most frequently reported form of
DSH was self-hitting. If the reference category was No DSH, the findings indicated that family composition, father’s education,
perceived family economic status, cigarette use, perceived body image, and higher scores in depression scales were important
concomitants of repeat-incidents of DSH. The students, in western areas, who were younger, reported that having unhealthy
weight control behaviors, and alcohol use had a higher risk for both types of DSH. Regarding students of age 15–18 years perceived
body image (too fat), having unhealthy weight control behaviors or a high level of depression symptoms demonstrated an elevated
risk for repeat-incident DSH when single-incident DSH was used as the reference category, whereas the students in middle area
reported family composition (both parents), education of the father (less than college) or alcohol use had a decreased risk
for repeat-incident DSH. The results of this study suggest that both types of DSH are associated with other wide-ranging problems
in the students’ lives. Despite their common features, these phenomena also differed from each other. It is necessary to investigate
the possible neurobiologic underpinnings of DSH within a longitudinal study to enhance the knowledge of this behavior.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Category Original Contribution
- Pages 1-9
- DOI 10.1007/s00787-011-0213-1
- Authors
- Yu-Hui Wan, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
- Chuan-Lai Hu, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
- Jia-Hu Hao, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
- Ying Sun, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
- Fang-Biao Tao, Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Population Health and Aristogenics, Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Mei Shan Road, Hefei, 230032 Anhui, China
- Journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Online ISSN 1435-165X
- Print ISSN 1018-8827