Ošetřovatelské perspektivy 2018, 1(1):31-37 | DOI: 10.25142/osp.2018.003

SELF-HARM IN ADOLESCENTS AS AN EDUCATIONAL PROBLEM

Jiřina Hosáková¹, Zuzana Hlubková¹, Martina Hypšová¹

¹ Ústav ošetřovatelství, Fakulta veřejných politik v Opavě, Slezská univerzita v Opavě

Our article concerns self-harm in adolescents. Self-harm is more common in adolescent and young adult populations than previously thought. It can present to professionals as a symptom of major mental health disturbance or it can form part of a cultural “norm”.

Aim: The main aim of our research was to describe the most common causes and methods of self-harm in adolescents.

Methods: We chose a qualitative research approach and used individual interviews with parents of children hospitalized after self-harm as a method of data collection.

Results and Discussion: Through the content analysis of conducted interviews, the incomplete family and the family where the adolescent lived in a joint household with a biological mother and a foster father were identified as significant risk factors. A preferred way of self-harm was cutting with a sharp object, cigarette burning and drug-alcohol intoxication. Most parents didn’t stimulate their child to consider to seek professional care.

Conclusion: The results of our survey highlight the risks of self-harm to adolescents and the most common forms of self-harm. Evaluation by a mental health professional may assist in identifying and treating the underlying causes of self-injury.

Keywords: self-harm, adolescent, parent, education, nurse

Published: May 31, 2018  Show citation