Abstract
ABSTRACT Objective: to identify and analyze the elements present in non-suicidal self-injury experiences by adolescents who self-injured. Method: a qualitative research, with data collection conducted from August to October 2019 through individual therapeutic consultations, mediated by the dialogical resource Drawing-Story with Theme Procedure. Participants were eight adolescents who reported self-injury in a school of a municipality in the countryside of São Paulo, Brazil. Thematic analysis was developed from data anchored in Winnicott’s psychoanalytic theory. Results: two thematic categories were identified: “I think nobody cares about me” and “I do not see the colors I used to see before”. The elements present in adolescents’ experiences on non-suicidal self-injury highlighted the importance of a physical and relational environment that offers holding and is able to integrate characteristics of the adolescence process itself. The importance of a family and peer support network, as well as the need for family, school and health professionals to be involved in coping with and preventing non-suicidal self-injury stands out. Conclusion: non-suicidal self-injury is a multiple phenomenon, closely related to the environment, which deserves attention and care in the field of child and adolescent health. The issues present in the process of becoming an adolescent emerge as essential elements for understanding and coping with non-suicidal self-injury. Due to their multiple characteristics, coping and prevention policies should include several areas, such as health, education, and social assistance. The presence of mental health programs in schools is fundamental.
Highlights
In Brazil, the number of adolescents in the population is quite significant, even considering the decrease in the growth of the young population
A recent study developed with a significant sample of adolescents aged approximately 15 years from ten European countries and Israel identified that there was no association between gender and a first non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) event.[21]
One of the issues raised is that these studies that indicate an association of NSSI with females were conducted with younger adolescents.[21]
Summary
In Brazil, the number of adolescents in the population is quite significant, even considering the decrease in the growth of the young population. We chose to adopt the World Health Organization’s definition, which considers the range from 10 to 19 years old, being the initial period between 10 and years and the end between and 19 years old.[3] Adolescence is a period that, compared to other age groups, does not present high rates of illness.[1] there are major health issues that should be observed in this population. One of these issues is self-injurying behavior, or self-injury, which has been increasingly prioritized at national and international levels in recent years.[3]
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