Intentional self-harm in youth, age 12-18 years

Project Objectives: Increased knowledge about factors contributing to recurring self-harm and suicidal behaviour in youth. More precise knowledge provides opportunities for prevention and early, effective intervention.

PhD-candidate: Anne Brager-Larsen, Clinical Psychologist

Project Team Members
Project Leader (-2022) and co-supervisor Pål Zeiner (OUS, UiO). Main supervisor: Professor Lars Mehlum (National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention (NSSF), Institute of Clinical Medicine, UiO).

Intentional self-harm is a severe health issue in many countries, including Norway, and is prevalent among adolescents, starting as early as 12-13 years old. According to population studies, between 13% and 23% of adolescents report having harmed themselves in the last 12 months. In Norway, approximately 25% of adolescents referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) are reported to inflict intentional self-harm. Cutting is the most reported method, but there are various other reported methods. Intentional self-harm behaviour, with or without the intention to die, is a significant risk factor for suicide, with the highest incidence of suicide attempts occurring in the 16-18 age group.

There is a need for more knowledge about contributing factors to the occurrence of intentional self-harm, factors that sustain the behaviour over time, and effective treatment methods to reduce or eliminate self-harming behaviour over time.

This study investigates individual and environmental factors in youth with intentional self-harm in contact with CAMHS to examine behavioural patterns and risk factors. More precise knowledge about factors increasing the risk of recurring self-harm and suicidal behaviour in children and youth provides opportunities for prevention and early, more effective intervention.

Publications:

Brager-Larsen A, Zeiner P, Mehlum L (2023)
DSM-5 Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Disorder in a Clinical Sample of Adolescents with Recurrent Self-Harm Behavior
Arch Suicide Res, 1-14 (in press)
DOI 10.1080/13811118.2023.2192767, PubMed 37506259

Brager-Larsen A, Zeiner P, Mehlum L (2023)
Sub-threshold or full-syndrome borderline personality disorder in adolescents with recurrent self-harm - distinctly or dimensionally different?
Borderline Personal Disord Emot Dysregul, 10 (1), 26
DOI 10.1186/s40479-023-00234-z, PubMed 37705040

Brager-Larsen A, Zeiner P, Klungsøyr O, Mehlum L (2022)
Is age of self-harm onset associated with increased frequency of non-suicidal self-injury and suicide attempts in adolescent outpatients?
BMC Psychiatry, 22 (1), 58
DOI 10.1186/s12888-022-03712-w, PubMed 35081930