@article{ref1,
title="Self-harm, dentofacial features, and bullying",
journal="American journal of orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics",
year="2022",
author="Al-Bitar, Zaid B. and Sonbol, Hawazen N. and Al-Omari, Iyad K. and Badran, Serene A. and Naini, Farhad B. and Al-Omiri, Mahmoud K. and Hamdan, Ahmad M.",
volume="ePub",
number="ePub",
pages="ePub-ePub",
abstract="INTRODUCTION: Self-harm is a growing public health problem. The study aimed to investigate the prevalence of self-harm among a representative sample of school children and the contribution of dentofacial appearance and being bullied because of dentofacial appearance to self-harm. <br><br>METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study in which a representative sample of eighth-grade students (aged 13-14 years) from randomly selected schools was asked to complete anonymous questionnaires distributed in the classroom. The final sample size was 699 children (339 girls, 360 boys) with a mean age of 13.3 years, representing 1.26% of the target population. <br><br>RESULTS: The prevalence of self-harm was 26.9% (n = 188), with no statistically significant gender differences (P >0.05). Among all the subjects who reported self-harm, 47.9% (n = 90) reported self-harm because of dentofacial features. A total of 41 subjects reported self-harm because of bullying targeted at dentofacial features, representing around one fifth of subjects who reported self-harm. The 3 most common dentofacial features contributing to self-harm and self-harm as a result of bullying were tooth color and shape, spacing between the teeth or missing teeth, and prominent maxillary anterior teeth. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated a relatively high experience of self-harm reported by adolescent school children, with many reporting self-harm as a result of their dentofacial appearance and bullying because of dentofacial features. The present study provides baseline data to better understand the relationship between self-harm and dentofacial features.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0889-5406",
doi="10.1016/j.ajodo.2021.02.025",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ajodo.2021.02.025"
}