TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2013//
TI  - Adolescent self-cutting elsewhere than on the arms reveals more serious psychiatric symptoms
JO  - European child and adolescent psychiatry
A1  - Laukkanen, Eila
A1  - Rissanen, Marja-Liisa
A1  - Tolmunen, Tommi
A1  - Kylma, Jari
A1  - Hintikka, Jukka
SP  - 501
EP  - 510
VL  - 22
IS  - 8
N2  - Self-cutting as a form of self-harm is a common and multifaceted phenomenon among adolescents. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the location of self-cutting (arms or other areas of the body) could help to assess the severity of the underlying psychiatric problems. A sample of adolescents who reported self-cutting (n = 440) was drawn from a large sample of community adolescents (n = 4,019). The majority of self-cutting adolescents, 296 (67.2 %), reported cutting only the upper arms, while 144 (32.8 %) also cut other parts of the body. The data included a structured self-rating questionnaire, questions about self-cutting, the Youth Self-Report (YSR) for adolescents aged 11-18 years, the Beck Depression Inventory, the Toronto Alexithymia Scale and the Adolescent Dissociative Experience Scale (A-DES). The results indicate that self-cutting on other parts of body than the arms was associated with female gender, a wide range of emotional and dissociative symptoms and suicidal ideation. In logistic regression analysis, the most pronounced association between self-cutting on other places than the arms was found with YSR subscales withdrawn/depressed, social problems and thought problems, and dissociation (A-DES). We conclude that self-cutting adolescents, mostly girls, with wounds elsewhere than on the arms present with the most serious psychiatric symptoms. It is important to perform a careful physical examination when an adolescent has unexplained wounds or scars on the arms or on other parts of the body. These adolescents also need a caring and conscientious psychiatric examination and possible psychiatric treatment.<p />  <p>Language: en</p>
LA  - en
SN  - 1018-8827
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00787-013-0390-1
ID  - ref1
ER  -