- Title
- Understanding women who self-harm: predictors and long-term outcomes in a longitudinal community sample
- Creator
- Stanford, Sarah; Jones, Michael P.; Loxton, Deborah J.
- Relation
- Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry Vol. 51, Issue 2, p. 151-160
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0004867416633298
- Publisher
- Sage
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2017
- Description
- Objective: There is growing awareness of the range of psychosocial, lifestyle, and sociodemographic factors related to self-harm, however this research is often limited by using cross-sectional or convenience samples. And while we generally assume that young adults who self-harm experience poorer long-term outcomes, longitudinal research is needed. This paper builds on prior research using a large, representative, longitudinal sample. Methods: 5765 Australian women completed 5 surveys (age 18-23 to 31-36). Six-month self-harm was measured by self-report. We had two aims: firstly to predict future self-harm, separately for women with and without prior self-harm. Secondly, to identify outcomes 3 and 6 years following self-harm. Results: Six-month self-harm prevalence was 2.5%. Predictors among women without recent self-harm included depression, dieting behaviours, number of male sexual partners, and abuse. Among women with recent or current self-harm, predictors were number of dieting behaviours, tiredness of life, and stress. Women who self-harmed reported poorer outcomes, namely greater difficulties in relationships at 3- and 6-year follow-up. Conclusions: Longitudinal risk factors for self-harm differed depending on prior self-harm status, and included depression, dieting behaviours, tiredness of life and stress. These factors may serve as warning signs for new or continued self-harm. This study offers new insight into long-term outcomes up to six years after self-harm, particularly with relationships.
- Subject
- self-harm; risk factors; outcomes; longitudinal
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/1387479
- Identifier
- uon:32613
- Identifier
- ISSN:0004-8674
- Language
- eng
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