Young Women's Experiences of Self-harm: Commonalities, Distinctions and Complexities. (February 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Curtis, Cate
• Is Part Of: Young. Volume 24:Number 1(2016:Feb.)
• Page Start: 17
• Page End: 35
• Publication Date: 2016-02
• Subjects: young women -- suicide -- self-harm -- self-injury -- community sample -- NSSI -- mental health; Youth -- Research -- Periodicals; Youth -- Scandinavia -- Periodicals; Jeunesse -- Recherche -- Périodiques; Jeunesse -- Scandinavie -- Périodiques; Jeune; Mondialisation; Condition sociale; Recherche; Europe; Périodique électronique (Descripteur de forme); Ressource Internet (Descripteur de forme); 305.242
• DOI: 10.1177/1103308815613680
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1103-3088

Abstract

Though self-harm is a significant problem among young people, the extant literature is somewhat unclear as to the meanings and functions of different forms. Nonetheless, it appears that young women engage in self-harm in general more frequently than any other group. This research explored the narratives of 22 young women who had engaged in both non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behaviour, to examine the meanings of self-harm. The behaviours are distinct insofar as they take different forms and serve different purposes. However, a key contribution of this research is that, in contrast to constructions of self-harming behaviours as occurring on a continuum from the less to more severe with overlapping or confused motivations and intentions, the data suggest a cyclical pattern of behaviour, in which the protagonist moves between NSSI and suicidal behaviour, and NSSI is clearly counter-suicidal.