Amanda J Edmondson1, Cathy A Brennan1, Allan O House2. 1. Institute of Health Sciences, Charles Thackrah Building, University of Leeds, 101 Clarendon Rd, LS2 9LJ Leeds, United Kingdom. 2. Institute of Health Sciences, Charles Thackrah Building, University of Leeds, 101 Clarendon Rd, LS2 9LJ Leeds, United Kingdom. Electronic address: A.O.House@leeds.ac.uk.
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 positiveexperience and defining the self. These self-reported "positive" reasons may be important in understanding and responding especially to repeated acts of self-harm.
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 positiveexperience and defining the self. These self-reported "positive" reasons may be important in understanding and responding especially to repeated acts of self-harm.
Authors: E Townsend; R Wadman; K Sayal; M Armstrong; C Harroe; P Majumder; P Vostanis; D Clarke Journal: J Affect Disord Date: 2016-07-09 Impact factor: 4.839
Authors: Callum Shields; Jack Bernard; Omer Idris Mirza; David Reeves; Adrian Wells; Anthony Heagerty Journal: Front Psychiatry Date: 2021-05-17 Impact factor: 4.157