OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of occasional and repetitive direct self-injurious behavior (D-SIB), such as self-cutting, -burning, -biting, -hitting, and skin damage by other methods, in representative adolescent samples from 11 European countries. METHODS: Cross-sectional assessment of adolescents was performed within the European Union funded project, Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE), which was conducted in 11 European countries. The representative sample comprised 12,068 adolescents (F/M: 6,717/5,351; mean age: 14.9 ± 0.89) recruited from randomly selected schools. Frequency of D-SIB was assessed by a modified 6-item questionnaire based on previously used versions of the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). In addition, a broad range of demographic, social, and psychological factors was assessed. RESULTS: Overall lifetime prevalence of D-SIB was 27.6%; 19.7% reported occasional D-SIB and 7.8% repetitive D-SIB. Lifetime prevalence ranged from 17.1% to 38.6% across countries. Estonia, France, Germany, and Israel had the highest lifetime rates of D-SIB, while students from Hungary, Ireland, and Italy reported low rates. Suicidality as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms had the highest odds ratios for both occasional and repetitive D-SIB. There was a strong association of D-SIB with both psychopathology and risk-behaviors, including family related neglect and peer-related rejection/victimization. Associations between psychosocial variables and D-SIB were strongly influenced by both gender and country. Only a minor proportion of the adolescents who reported D-SIB ever received medical treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest high lifetime prevalence of D-SIB in European adolescents. Prevalence as well as psychosocial correlates seems to be significantly influenced by both gender and country. These results support the need for a multidimensional approach to better understand the development of SIB and facilitate culturally adapted prevention/intervention.
OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prevalence and associated psychosocial factors of occasional and repetitive direct self-injurious behavior (D-SIB), such as self-cutting, -burning, -biting, -hitting, and skin damage by other methods, in representative adolescent samples from 11 European countries. METHODS: Cross-sectional assessment of adolescents was performed within the European Union funded project, Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE), which was conducted in 11 European countries. The representative sample comprised 12,068 adolescents (F/M: 6,717/5,351; mean age: 14.9 ± 0.89) recruited from randomly selected schools. Frequency of D-SIB was assessed by a modified 6-item questionnaire based on previously used versions of the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI). In addition, a broad range of demographic, social, and psychological factors was assessed. RESULTS: Overall lifetime prevalence of D-SIB was 27.6%; 19.7% reported occasional D-SIB and 7.8% repetitive D-SIB. Lifetime prevalence ranged from 17.1% to 38.6% across countries. Estonia, France, Germany, and Israel had the highest lifetime rates of D-SIB, while students from Hungary, Ireland, and Italy reported low rates. Suicidality as well as anxiety and depressive symptoms had the highest odds ratios for both occasional and repetitive D-SIB. There was a strong association of D-SIB with both psychopathology and risk-behaviors, including family related neglect and peer-related rejection/victimization. Associations between psychosocial variables and D-SIB were strongly influenced by both gender and country. Only a minor proportion of the adolescents who reported D-SIB ever received medical treatment. CONCLUSION: These results suggest high lifetime prevalence of D-SIB in European adolescents. Prevalence as well as psychosocial correlates seems to be significantly influenced by both gender and country. These results support the need for a multidimensional approach to better understand the development of SIB and facilitate culturally adapted prevention/intervention.
Authors: Michael Kaess; Romuald Brunner; Peter Parzer; Vladimir Carli; Alan Apter; Judit A Balazs; Julio Bobes; Horia G Coman; Doina Cosman; Padraig Cotter; Tony Durkee; Luca Farkas; Dana Feldman; Christian Haring; Miriam Iosue; Jean-Pierre Kahn; Helen Keeley; Tina Podlogar; Vita Postuvan; Franz Resch; Pilar A Sáiz; Merike Sisask; Alexandra Tubiana; Peeter Värnik; Marco Sarchiapone; Christina W Hoven; Danuta Wasserman Journal: Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry Date: 2013-11-19 Impact factor: 4.785
Authors: Pádraig Cotter; Michael Kaess; Paul Corcoran; Peter Parzer; Romuald Brunner; Helen Keeley; Vladimir Carli; Camilla Wasserman; Christina Hoven; Marco Sarchiapone; Alan Apter; Judit Balazs; Julio Bobes; Doina Cosman; Christian Haring; Jean-Pierre Kahn; Franz Resch; Vita Postuvan; Airi Värnik; Danuta Wasserman Journal: Soc Psychiatry Psychiatr Epidemiol Date: 2015-02-06 Impact factor: 4.328
Authors: Julian Koenig; Lena Rinnewitz; Marco Warth; Thomas K Hillecke; Romuald Brunner; Franz Resch; Michael Kaess Journal: J Psychiatry Neurosci Date: 2017-05 Impact factor: 6.186
Authors: Philip S Santangelo; Julian Koenig; Vera Funke; Peter Parzer; Franz Resch; Ulrich W Ebner-Priemer; Michael Kaess Journal: J Abnorm Child Psychol Date: 2017-10