Abstract
BackgroundAlthough existing research supports the correlation of hereditary and psychological factors with an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm, there is a dearth of research that focus on their socio-economic characteristics. This paper intends to identity the potential risk factors that influence an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm.MethodsData for this study was obtained from Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) study conducted in 2015–16 with sample of 5,969 adolescent boys and 9,419 girls aged 10–19 years. The outcome variable was deliberate self-harm among adolescents. The explanatory variables added in the study were age, current schooling status, working status, media exposure, access to internet, parental abuse, involvement in fights, substance use, depressive symptoms, caste, religion, wealth index, residence and states. Bivariate analysis along with binary logistic regression analysis was done to fulfill the study objectives.ResultsAbout 4.5% and 3.2% of adolescent boys and girls, respectively had deliberate self-harm. The odds of deliberate self-harm were 50 per cent more likely among adolescent girls who had internet access [OR 1.50; CI 1.05–2.16]. The likelihood of deliberate self-harm was 49 per cent and 61 per cent significantly more likely among adolescent boys [OR 1.49; CI 1.11–2.0] and girls [OR 1.61; CI 1.27–2.04] who experienced parental physical abuse respectively. With reference to minimal/mild depressive symptoms, adolescents who had moderate [boys-OR 2.10; CI 1.29–3.4 and girls-OR 2.50; CI 1.774–3.59] or moderately high/severe [boys-OR 4.58; CI 2.88–7.29 and girls-OR 4.18; CI 3.1–5.63] depressive symptoms had significantly higher odds of deliberate self-harm.ConclusionsInternet access, parental abuse, involvement in fights, and depressive symptoms emerged as significant predictors of deliberate self-harm among adolescent boys and girls. Results suggest that an early identification of the predictors and intervention might prevent deliberate self-harm among adolescents. Since parents play a major role in the lives and development of adolescents, it is highly recommended that they initiate open and supportive communication with their children.
Highlights
Existing research supports the correlation of hereditary and psychological factors with an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm, there is a dearth of research that focus on their socio-economic characteristics
Inflicted to self-harm (ISH) or Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is ‘a behavior that emerges among children and adolescents in which a child/adolescent commits an act with the purpose of physically or psychologically harming himself/herself with or without a real intent of suicide’ [1]
Outcome variables The outcome variable was deliberate self-harm among adolescents
Summary
Existing research supports the correlation of hereditary and psychological factors with an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm, there is a dearth of research that focus on their socio-economic characteristics. Sinha et al BMC Psychology (2021) 9:197 across different age groups and socio-economic groups within the society on different scales [1,2,3]. It is more frequent among the adolescent population. Adolescents surrounded by cultural and social situations determine their behavior in terms of self-inflicted harm, aggression, anxiety, substance abuse, and socio-psychological behavior [6,7,8]. High socio-economic inequality in India has led to an increase in self-inflicted harm among children and adolescents. Social and cultural norms play an enormous role in defining child and adolescent’s health and wellbeing in India, and it further molds behavioral change among them [8, 10]
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