@article{ref1,
title="Non-suicidal reasons for self-harm: a systematic review of self-reported accounts",
journal="Journal of affective disorders",
year="2015",
author="Edmondson, Amanda J. and Brennan, Cathy A. and House, Allan O.",
volume="191",
number="",
pages="109-117",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Self-harm is a major public health problem yet current healthcare provision is widely regarded as inadequate. One of the barriers to effective healthcare is the lack of a clear understanding of the functions self-harm may serve for the individual. The aim of this review is to identify first-hand accounts of the reasons for self-harm from the individual's perspective. <br><br>METHOD: A systematic review of the literature reporting first-hand accounts of the reasons for self-harm other than intent to die. A thematic analysis and 'best fit' framework synthesis was undertaken to classify the responses. <br><br>RESULTS: The most widely researched non-suicidal reasons for self-harm were dealing with distress and exerting interpersonal influence. However, many first-hand accounts included reasons such as self-validation, and self-harm to achieve a personal sense of mastery, which suggests individuals thought there were positive or adaptive functions of the act not based only on its social effects. LIMITATIONS: Associations with different sub-population characteristics or with the method of harm were not available from most studies included in the analysis. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Our review identified a number of themes that are relatively neglected in discussions about self-harm, which we summarised as self-harm as a positiveexperience and defining the self. These self-reported &quot;positive&quot; reasons may be important in understanding and responding especially to repeated acts of self-harm.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0165-0327",
doi="10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.043",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2015.11.043"
}