Self-harm Behaviors Research Articles

Daring and Distress: Insights on Adolescent Risk Taking and Difficulties in Emotion Regulation from a Network Analysis Perspective.

We explored the interrelationships between risk-taking and self-harm in typically developing adolescents by examining various contributing factors, such as personality traits, difficulties in emotion regulation, attachment styles, and maladaptive psychological functioning. A sample of 234 Italian adolescents completed the Risk-Taking and Self-Harm Inventory for Adolescents (RTSHIA), the Risk-Taking Questionnaire (RT-18), the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Strategies (DERS), the State Adult Attachment Measure (SAAM), and the Youth Self-Report (YSR). Network analysis was used to visualize and describe the interdependencies among the variables. Risk-taking behaviors were strongly linked to rule-breaking, aggression, and risk propensity, while self-harm behaviors were connected to limited access to emotion regulation strategies and thought problems. Centrality indices indicated that variables such as anxiety/depression, limited access to emotion regulation strategies, and rule-breaking had a high influence within the network. This study provided a comprehensive understanding of the nomological network of risk-taking and self-harm behaviors among adolescents. It highlighted the relative importance of factors such as emotion regulation difficulties and maladaptive psychological functioning in influencing these behaviors. The findings could inform psychological interventions and prevention strategies targeting adolescents at risk for engaging in risk-taking or self-harm behaviors.

A Cross-Sectional Study on Outcomes of Hospitalization in Patients with Borderline Personality Disorder After Six Months

Background: Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a serious psychiatric disorder that is characterized by unstable affect, mood, behavior, object relations, and self-image. In this study, a 6-month follow-up was performed to evaluate the outcomes of hospitalization in terms of symptoms severity, suicidal attempts, self-harm behaviors, substance use, and anger expression.
 Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 60 patients hospitalized with BPD in Iran Psychiatric Hospital in the first 6 months of 2018. Demographic information of patients was collected at the time of admission. Patients were assessed by initial psychiatric evaluations with the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV [Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-1), Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis II Disorders (SCID-2)], the Borderline Evaluation of Severity over Time (BEST), the Spielberger’s state-trait anger expression inventory and Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS). Medical comorbidities, self-harm and suicide ideations and attempts, high-risk behaviors, and substance use disorders were also assessed and recorded. Three months after discharge, the patients were reassessed by BEST questionnaire and after 6 months, they were reassessed using DASS, BEST, SCID-2, and Spielberger’s state-trait anger expression inventory.
 Results: The repeated measures analysis of changes in quantitative variables including the scores of the severity of symptoms in BEST, DASS, and Spielberger tools showed that the scores of DASS decreased significantly during the study (p=0.020), while no significant change was observed in the scores of Spielberger and BEST inventory.
 Conclusion: In patients with BPD, hospitalization was correlated with reduced depression, anxiety, and stress 6 months after discharge. Regular follow-ups along with regular patient visits can form an effective therapeutic relationship with the patients and help to improve monitoring of their drug usage, self-harming acts, and suicidal thoughts.

Risky business: Considerations of emotion regulation and high-risk behaviors in anxious adolescents

A growing body of empirical literature connects anxiety symptoms and high-risk suicidal and self-harming behaviors in youth. Emotion regulation (ER) processes and deficits have been identified as important factors in the etiology, maintenance, and treatment of both youth anxiety and high-risk behaviors. The present study assessed the association between these variables using an acute, socio-demographically diverse clinical sample of youth presenting to an outpatient mental health clinic. Ninety-nine youth aged 12–20 years old completed measures of anxiety symptoms, ER difficulties, and lifetime history of high-risk behaviors including non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts. Unadjusted analyses show that more severe anxiety symptoms were associated with more ER difficulties and history of risk behavior. Multivariate linear regression models considering age, sex, race/ethnicity, and risk history show that more severe anxiety symptoms remained significantly associated with more ER difficulties (p < 0.0001) and positive suicide attempt history (p < 0.01). Findings highlight the importance of integrating considerations of ER into the case conceptualization and treatment planning of high-risk, anxious youth to inform evidenced-based care with this population. The need for targeted, ongoing risk assessment with anxious youth to identify and mitigate risk is also demonstrated.

Attachment, suicidal behavior, and self-harm in childhood and adolescence: a study of a cohort of Brazilian schoolchildren

BackgroundAttachment influences the development and the formation of the self and subjectivity and, just as early adverse events, may be related to the occurrence of mental disorders, suicidal behavior, and self-harm throughout life. This study aimed to analyze the effect of mental representation of attachment in children on suicidal behavior and self-harm throughout childhood and adolescence, considering the mediating role of internalizing problems.MethodsBased on a cohort of 500 students (mean age 8 years, SD 1.2) sampled from public schools in a Brazilian southeastern metropolis, 316 children were followed for eight years in three waves (2006, 2008, 2012). The following data from the research baseline (2005) were used: family drawing, maternal and family variables, and sociodemographic data. The mental representation of attachment (independent variable) was measured by the Family Drawing Global Scale, discriminating between secure attachment and non-secure attachment. Suicidal behavior/self-harm (dependent variable) and internalizing problems were evaluated in three research waves through CBCL and YSR (ASEBA). Descriptive analysis, calculation of frequencies and p-values of the variables of interest, as well as modeling of structural equations, were performed.ResultsThe prevalence throughout the study was: 17.1% [CI 13.3–20.8] for suicidal ideation and 8.9% [CI 5.6 – 12.2] for self-harm; there was a recurrence at one time in 16.5% [IC 12.6 – 20.3] and in two or more moments in 4.1% [CI 2.0 – 6.3] of the sample. Female gender (p = 0.035), internalizing disorders (p < 0.01), and non-secure attachment (p = 0.035) were associated with the occurrence of suicidal behavior/self-harm. The modeling indicated that 92,2% of the total effect of attachment (p = 0.069) on suicidal behavior/self-harm was due to direct effect, the other 7,8% of the effect being mediated by internalizing problems, adjusted for the confounding variables sex, skin color/race, and social stratum. The total effect showed a positive value, which indicates an increase in suicidal behavior/self-harm when the non-secure attachment is present. The approximate OR of non-secure attachment on the total effect (direct + indirect) was 1.15, indicating that, when adjusting for confounding variables, there was a 15% increase in suicidal behavior/self-injury from non-secure attachment.ConclusionsThe study supports the hypothesis that there is a relationship between disruptive attachment patterns (non-secure attachment) developed during infancy and suicidal and self-harm behavior during childhood and adolescence. These findings validate the concern about the first thousand days of childhood as a critical period for child growth and development, but also for the mental health of children and adolescents.

Effects of Community-Based Caring Contact in Reducing Thwarted Belongingness Among Postdischarge Young Adults With Self-Harm: Randomized Controlled Trial.

For patients with self-harm behaviors, the urge to hurt themselves persists after hospital discharge, leading to costly readmissions and even death. Hence, postdischarge intervention programs that reduce self-harm behavior among patients should be part of a cogent community mental health care policy. We aimed to determine whether a combination of a self-help mobile app and volunteer support could complement treatment as usual (TAU) to reduce the risk of suicide among these patients. We conducted a pragmatic randomized controlled trial on discharged patients aged between 18 and 45 years with self-harm episodes/suicide attempts, all of whom were recruited from 4 hospital emergency departments in Hong Kong. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three groups: (1) mobile app + TAU ("apps"), (2) mobile app + volunteer support + TAU ("volunteers"), or (3) TAU only as the control group ("TAU"). They were asked to submit a mobile app-based questionnaire during 4 measurement time points at monthly intervals. A total of 40 participants were recruited. Blending volunteer care with a preprogrammed mobile app was found to be effective in improving service compliance. Drawing upon the interpersonal-psychological theory of suicide, our findings suggested that a reduction in perceived burdensomeness and thwarted belongingness through community-based caring contact are linked to improvement in hopelessness, albeit a transient one, and suicide risk. A combination of volunteer care with a self-help mobile app as a strategy for strengthening the continuity of care can be cautiously implemented for discharged patients at risk of self-harm during the transition from the hospital to a community setting. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03081078; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03081078.

Self-harm behaviors and their intentions: a cross-cultural analysis

Background Self-harm behaviors (performed with either lethal and non-lethal intentions) are common, especially among individuals suffering from mood disorders, and the reasons individuals self-harm vary both by person and by the type of behavior. Understanding these variations may help clinicians determine levels of risk more accurately. Aims To understand whether culture and gender are associated with the likelihood of engaging in specific self-harm behaviors and whether the intention (lethal, ambivalent, non-lethal) of these behaviors vary with culture and gender. Methods 2826 individuals took part in an international multilingual online depression/suicidality screening study and reported at least one instance of self-harm in the past year. Participants were grouped into six broad cultural categories (Latin America, South Asia, Russian, Western English, Chinese, Arab). Results 3-way (culture x gender x intent) interactions were observed for several self-harm behaviors (overdosing, self-burning, asphyxiating, poisoning, and jumping from heights), suggesting that individuals engage in each of these behaviors with different intentions depending on gender and culture. Cultures and genders likewise differed in the likelihood of engaging in several self-harm behaviors. Conclusions Clinicians should consider culture and gender when assessing for suicide risk, as similar self-harming behaviors may reflect different intentions depending on an individual’s culture and gender.

The impact of social media use on depression, anxiety, and well-being for teens/young people: using hypnosis to build a strong sense of self

ABSTRACT The national conversation continues to focus on the negative impact of social media on teens/young people. The lingering effects of the pandemic revealed sharp increases in the common practice of “compare and despair” as well as higher rates of loneliness, isolation, depression, and self-harming behaviors. In May 2023, the US Surgeon General warned that social media “is the defining public issue of our time” and is driving the teen mental health crisis. These concerns for the mental health of humans across the globe are real and dramatic. Social media’s impact on young people can be neutral, negative, positive or shades of each. The hypnosis community has an opportunity to be a more vital presence in helping young people navigate, manage, and reduce negative social media impact and to harness social media’s very positive contributions, many of which are well documented. This article focuses on assessing social media use in teens and young adults, identifying developmental tasks being practiced on social media, and how factors such as time spent on social media and social media experiences have promoted trauma, stress, depression and anxiety. In addition, it will consider some of the ways in which the isolating effects of COVID-19 have further impacted well-being. Finally, the article will discuss how hypnotherapists can leverage social media to foster stronger ego strengthening using therapeutic interventions that employ hypnosis, hypnotherapy techniques and interventions, hypnotic scripts, and social media to lower mental health risks in teens/young adults.

Prevalence of psychiatric morbidity among school-going adolescents in the age group of 13–19 years

BackgroundAdolescent mental health problems are vast and varied and early identification and intervention can be of utmost help. There is sparse data on mental health issues in the adolescent population from India in general and J&K in particular; thus, it was decided to embark on this study.ResultsThe prevalence of various psychiatric disorders among school-going adolescents was as major depressive disorder 13.7%, obsessive compulsive disorder 4.0%, panic disorder 1.4%, self-harming behavior 2.5%, generalized anxiety disorder 2.5%, social anxiety disorder 2.2%, dysthymia 1.7%, and adjustment disorder 0.8%. There was no statistically significant difference in the overall psychiatric morbidity group among males and females (P = 0.90). However, panic disorder and borderline personality disorder as a group were more commonly found among females compared to males (P = 0.016 and 0.001 respectively). Also, 34% from urban and 28% from rural areas met the criteria for any psychiatric disorder (P = 1.38).ConclusionChildren and adolescents represent a tender part of the human life cycle and they may be at a higher risk of psychiatric disorders. There is a very high prevalence of psychiatric morbidity of any kind among adolescents in Kashmir, many of which are unidentified and thus untreated. Depression is the most common psychiatric illness among adolescents with a higher prevalence in males while anxiety disorders are more common among females. There is a need for further research in this age group and teachers and parents need psycho-education for the identification of such children.

Approach-avoidance biases to self-harm cues in young people with self-harm

BackgroundThe urge to self-harm can be likened to craving in addictive behaviours. However, it remains unclear whether cognitive mechanisms involved in craving, such as attentional biases to cues, also underpin the urge to self-harm. MethodsA Dot Probe Task was used to investigate attentional biases to self-harm cues in young people aged 16–25 with self-harm. Cues were shown for either 0.2 s or 2 s. Dot Probe Task performance in the Self-harm group (N = 50) was compared with age-matched Healthy Controls (N = 50) and age- and negative-affect (Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21) matched controls with no self-harm (N = 50). ResultsThe Self-harm group showed significantly greater avoidance of self-harm cues than Healthy Controls at 2 s. The Negative Affect group showed significantly less difficulty disengaging from self-harm cues than the Self-harm group and Healthy Controls at 2 s. There were no between-group differences in attentional bias at 0.2 s. LimitationsStudy limitations that may affect attentional biases in the Self-harm group include not measuring indicators of recovery and recruiting only from the community potentially missing more severe self-harm presentations in clinical settings. ConclusionsAvoidance of self-harm cues in young people with self-harm may reflect conflict around self-harm behaviour, consistent with ambivalence models of craving. An ability to disengage from self-harm cues may be a protective factor in young people with higher levels of negative affect who do not self-harm. Whether these attentional biases represent a quantifiable marker of treatment response or susceptibility to relapse in individuals with self-harm remains an area for future investigation.

The Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults: A Systematic Review.

Adolescents increasingly find it difficult to picture their lives without social media. Practitioners need to be able to assess risk, and social media may be a new component to consider. Although there is limited empirical evidence to support the claim, the perception of the link between social media and mental health is heavily influenced by teenage and professional perspectives. Privacy concerns, cyberbullying, and bad effects on schooling and mental health are all risks associated with this population's usage of social media. However, ethical social media use can expand opportunities for connection and conversation, as well as boost self-esteem, promote health, and gain access to critical medical information. Despite mounting evidence of social media's negative effects on adolescent mental health, there is still a scarcity of empirical research on how teens comprehend social media, particularly as a body of wisdom, or how they might employ wider modern media discourses to express themselves. Youth use cell phones and other forms of media in large numbers, resulting in chronic sleep loss, which has a negative influence on cognitive ability, school performance, and socio-emotional functioning. According to data from several cross-sectional, longitudinal, and empirical research, smartphone and social media use among teenagers relates to an increase in mental distress, self-harming behaviors, and suicidality. Clinicians can work with young people and their families to reduce the hazards of social media and smartphone usage by using open, nonjudgmental, and developmentally appropriate tactics, including education and practical problem-solving.

Self-injury and Its Criminal Correlates among Hungarian Juvenile Offenders

Self-injury is an important problem in incarcerated populations worldwide. This behaviour may be explained by circumstantial factors as incarceration per se may trigger stress responses that result in suicide and other forms of self-harming. On the other hand, certain psychiatric disorders are associated with an increased risk of self-injury and recent findings suggest that psychiatric disorders are highly prevalent in prison and reformatory populations. As a first attempt to study this issue in Hungarian underage criminals, we investigated the prevalence of self-injury and suicidal ideation in reformatory institutions. These were established in 84 incarcerated male juvenile offenders by the MINI KID structured psychiatric inventory. The study lasted 2 years. About one sixth (16.66%) of offenders had a suicidal history. More than half showed self-harming behaviour (N = 47, 55.95%) and 5 subjects reported suicidal ideation at the time of the assessment (5.95%). The suicidal tendency did not reach the level of actual life-threatening condition in any participant. These findings show that self-harming behaviour is rather frequent in the correctional system and requires further research, e.g. studies on the psychiatric antecedents of this behaviour. The findings of such studies may be applicable both in practice and in the education of law enforcement professionals.

Gambaran Perilaku Self Injury pada Remaja di Wilayah Sleman Yogyakarta

Adolescence is the transitional age from childhood to adulthood, and there are many changes during this period. The change that occurs is not only physical but also psychological. A lot of the stresses in the lives of teenagers make them look for ways to solve the problem. A teenager who can cope with problems well will go through adolescence well. However, there are some adolescents who are unable to cope with the problem, which will cause negative effects such as emotional instability. Because of these unstable emotions, teenagers use inappropriate ways to deal with their problems, such as self-harm behavior. This study aims to paint a picture of self-injury in adolescents. The study used descriptive analytical methods using the Self-Harm Inventory questionnaire for data collection. The research was carried out in the district of Sleman among teenagers aged 14–20 who were spread across 14 districts in Sleman. The total number of respondents was 1,362, taken using the cluster sampling technique. The results of the study showed that the majority of adolescents had low self-harm behaviors, with a percentage of 66.6%. However, attention should still be paid to adolescents who have high self-harm behaviors (a percentage of 3.4%). So further research is still needed to find out the various factors that affect self-injury behavior in adolescents.

Promoting the psychological health of married career women in the post-Covid-19 era

This paper assesses the relational impacts of attitude towards organizational change (ATOC), perceived social support (PSS), teleworking (TW), and self-harming behaviors (SHB) on the psychological health (PH) of married career women (MCW) post-Covid-19. The sample for this research was extracted from six (6) work organizations in the Lagos and Oyo States of Nigeria. The participants were married career women who were employees within the study organizations. This study advocated a cross-sectional survey using self-reported questionnaires. 222 of the 240 questionnaires distributed were examinable and subject to statistical analysis using the Social Sciences Statistical Package (SPSS version 28). This study revealed a link between attitude toward organizational change and mental health. Additionally, it demonstrated a strong positive association between perceived social support and psychological health. It also mentioned the extent to which teleworking correlates with mental health. Further, it showed a negative association between self-harming behaviors and psychological health. Moreover, this study demonstrated the joint, potent, and substantial impacts of attitude towards organizational change, perceived social support, teleworking, and self-harming behaviors on the psychological health of married career women.

DSM-5 Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Disorder in a Clinical Sample of Adolescents with Recurrent Self-Harm Behavior

Introduction Non-suicidal self-injury disorder (NSSID) is a new diagnosis proposed in DSM-5 with a need of further study, especially in adolescent clinical populations where non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is particularly prevalent. We aimed to study characteristics of NSSID and estimate an optimal cutoff frequency level of NSSI behavior. Methods Data were collected from 103 outpatient adolescents (ages 12–18) with recurrent self-harm behavior. Results Adolescents with NSSID reported significantly more frequent NSSI behavior and suicide attempts than adolescents without NSSID. Frequency of NSSI, global functioning, depressive symptoms, number of self-harm methods and anxiety symptoms best discriminated between adolescents with and without NSSID. An optimal cutoff level for a diagnosis of NSSID was found to be ≥15 days with NSSI during the last year, which led to a reduction in the rate of adolescents diagnosed with NSSID from 54% to 46%. Conclusion This study shows that NSSID is a highly impairing disorder characterized by high risk of multiple NSSI and suicide attempts, decreased functioning and other associated psychiatric disorders. Clinical awareness of these risks are important to ensure early detection and treatment. Future prospective longitudinal studies are needed to further validate the characteristics of the NSSID diagnosis and its clinical utility.

Research of the Influencing Factors of Mental Health Status of Students in Leeds-based on the 2019-20 Student Health and Well-being Survey

The mental health of teenagers is an important topic in public health, and it is necessary to pay attention to the mental health of students in school. This paper is based on the results of the 2019-20 school student health and well-being survey in Leeds, UK, aiming to explore the potential factors affecting the mental health and life attitudes of school students. The survey involved 5,307 students from 37 different schools in Leeds, of which 4,297 of them were valid. Set 80% of the valid survey results as the training set and the other 20% as the test set for multivariate logistic regression analysis (MLR) and model construction, and try to predict students' life attitude with the model to reflect their mental health status. The variables involved mixed aspects of sexual orientation, grade, alcohol consumption, drug use, smoking, self-harm behavior, participation in physical education courses, sexual behavior and so on. The results showed that daily drinking (OR: 4.498, 95% CI: 1.53-13.226) and self-harm (positive OR: 0.446, 95%CI: 0.381-0.522; negative OR: 1.252, 95% CI: 1.023-1.533) seriously harm students' mental health. Physical activity (positive OR: 1.422, 95% CI: 1.234-1.638; negative OR: 0.625, 95% CI: 0.509-0.768) and no smoking (positive OR: 1.374, 95% CI: 1.128-1.675) are conducive to maintaining a positive attitude towards life. Senior students are more likely to have a negative attitude towards life, and heterosexual (positive OR: 1.515, 95% CI: 1.113-2.061) students tend to hold a positive attitude towards life.

Associations between insomnia symptom trajectories with depression and self-harm behaviors in Chinese college students before and during the COVID-19 pandemic: A five-wave longitudinal investigation

BackgroundSleep problems are highly prevalent during COVID-19 pandemic. However, only very limited studies have examined the changing patterns of insomnia symptom before and during the COVID-19 pandemic, and most of these studies were limited to two-wave designs and the variable-centered approach. MethodsThe data was taken from a large-scale health-related cohort among Chinese college students. This cohort was a five-wave design and 3834 participants who completed at least two waves were included in the present study. Growth mixture modeling (GMM) was used to estimate trajectory classes for insomnia symptoms, followed by binary logistic regression to explore the association between trajectory classes and subsequent mental health problems. ResultsGMM analyses extracted four distinct trajectories of insomnia symptoms: stable-low pattern (n = 2897, 75.6 %), increasing pattern (n = 405, 10.6 %), decreasing pattern (n = 182, 4.7 %), and stable-high pattern (n = 350, 9.1 %). Additionally, we found that individuals in stable-high and increasing patterns were more likely to experience mental health problems after the COVID-19 pandemic even after adjusting significant covariates and outcomes at baseline. ConclusionsAppreciable heterogeneity in insomnia symptoms among college students was revealed before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. About 20 % of college students were classified as high-risk patterns of insomnia symptoms. Psychological interventions should target such vulnerable groups to reduce the rates of mental health problems.

Associations between DSM-5 posttraumatic stress disorder Criterion E2 endorsement and selected self-destructive behaviors in recent-era veterans: A focus on disordered eating.

Revisions to the posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) criteria in the DSM-5 included a new criterion in the alterations in arousal and reactivity cluster (i.e., engagement in reckless and self-destructive behaviors; Criterion E2). Despite its clinical significance, little is known about how this symptom corresponds to engagement in specific direct and indirect self-harm behaviors. We examined associations between E2 and self-reported recent engagement in direct and indirect self-harm behaviors, including disordered eating, which is not included in the prototypical E2 symptom scope, in a trauma-exposed sample of 1,010 recent-era veterans (61.5% self-identified women, 38.5% self-identified men). We also tested whether gender moderated these associations. We repeated analyses in a subsample of participants with clinically elevated PTSD symptoms. Participants self-reported past-month PTSD symptoms (PCL-5) as well as past-month nonsuicidal self-injury, suicidal ideation, suicide planning, fasting, purging, binge eating, compulsive exercise, and problematic alcohol and drug use. We found no evidence for moderation by gender for any of the behaviors examined in the main sample. However, after controlling for gender and demographic covariates, weighted logistic regressions showed small, significant associations between E2 score and direct self-harm behaviors, substance use, purging, and binge eating, aORs = 1.30-1.91. Criterion E2 was linked to behaviors included in the typical symptom scope (self-directed violence, substance use) and those that are not (disordered eating behaviors). Comprehensive screening for self-destructive behaviors, including disordered eating, among veteran men and women who endorse Criterion E2 is indicated.

Evaluating co-occurring space-time clusters of depression and suicide-related outcomes before and during the COVID-19 pandemic

Rapidly emerging research on the mental health consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic shows increasing patterns of psychological distress, including anxiety and depression, and self-harming behaviors, particularly during the early months of the pandemic. Yet, few studies have investigated the spatial and temporal changes in depressive disorders and suicidal behavior during the pandemic. The objective of this retrospective analysis was to evaluate geographic patterns of emergency department admissions for depression and suicidal behavior in North Carolina before (March 2017-February 2020) and during the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020 - December 2021). Univariate cluster detection examined each outcome separately and multivariate cluster detection was used to examine the co-occurrence of depression and suicide-related outcomes in SatScan; the Rand index evaluated cluster overlap. Cluster analyses were adjusted for age, race, and sex. Findings suggest that the mental health burden of depression and suicide-related outcomes remained high in many communities throughout the pandemic. Rural communities exhibited a larger increase in the co-occurrence of depression and suicide-related ED visits during the pandemic period. Results showed the exacerbation of depression and suicide-related outcomes in select communities and emphasize the need for targeted and sustained mental health interventions throughout the many phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Образ тела у подростков с суицидальным и несуицидальным самоповреждающим поведением: удовлетворенность собственным телом

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The aim of the study was to examine the features of body image perception in adolescents with self-harming, suicidal and normative behavior in terms of satisfaction with their own bodies. A theoretical review of the phenomena of suicidal and self-harming behavior and current studies of body image in non-clinical and clinical samples was conducted. The description and results of the first part of the empirical study of body image, devoted to the study of satisfaction with one's own body, are presented. The study was conducted on three groups of adolescents: those with suicidal behavior (n=30, M&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=15.10, SD&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=0.97, 26.7% of males), self-injurious behavior (n=27, M&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=15.48, SD&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=1.10, 11.1% of males) and normative behavior (control group: n=30, M&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=15.40, SD&lt;sub&gt;age&lt;/sub&gt;=0.96, 50% of males). The first group was distinguished on the basis of anamnestic data (suicide attempts in the last year or current hospitalization due to high suicide risk), the second group was distinguished on the basis of the Self-Harming Behavior Reason Scale (N.A. Polskaya, 2017): repeated cuts, punctures, and/or self-burns in the last year. The following methods were used: Self-Harming Behavior Reason Scale (N.A. Polskaya, 2017), Body Focus Questionnaire (Fisher, 1970), adapted by E.T. Sokolova (1985) and a questionnaire to collect socio-demographic data (gender, age, presence of psychiatric diagnoses, suicide attempts). The results suggest that self-harm is determined by an adolescent's need to reduce psychoemotional tension and gain control over emotions, and these determinants are stronger in the main groups than in the control groups, but no differences were found between the main groups. Satisfaction with one's own body is lower in the main groups compared to controls, but no differences were found between the main groups.&lt;/p&gt;

Maltreatment experiences and mental health indicators among elite athletes

This study explored the relationships between athletes’ experiences of maltreatment and mental health indicators. Canadian National Team athletes completed an online, anonymous survey that assessed reported experiences of maltreatment (psychological, physical, sexual harm and neglect), and mental health indicators of well-being, eating disorders and self-harming behaviours. All forms of maltreatment had a significant, positive correlation with eating disorder and self-harming behaviours, and a negative correlation with well-being. The relationships between maltreatment and mental health indicators differed based on identity characteristics of the athletes. Further work is needed on the prevention and intervention of maltreatment in sport to reduce the behaviours associated with negative health outcomes.