Citation

Brown RC, Plener PL. Curr. Psychiatry Rep. 2017; 19(3): e20.

Affiliation

Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Ulm, Steinhoevelstr. 5, 89075, Ulm, Germany. paul.plener@uniklinik-ulm.de.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11920-017-0767-9

PMID

28315191

Abstract

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a common mental health threat among adolescents. This review aims to present the current literature on epidemiology, etiology, and therapeutic approaches with a focus on the period of adolescence. RECENT FINDINGS: NSSI is widespread among adolescents both in community as well as in clinical settings with lifetime prevalence rates between 17 and 60% in recent studies. It is influenced by multiple factors including social contagion, interpersonal stressors, neurobiological background, as well as emotional dysregulation and adverse experiences in childhood. There is still a lack of studies regarding the psychotherapeutic as well as the psychopharmacological treatment of NSSI in adolescence. Furthermore, sufficient evidence for prevention programs is missing.

Language: en

Keywords

Adolescents; NSSI; Non-suicidal self-injury; Self-harm; Suicidality