Ethnicity and adolescent deliberate self-harm
The characteristics of all adolescents referred to the psychiatric service of a tertiary hospital following an episode of deliberate self-harm (DSH) were studied. Of 100 adolescents selected over a 3-year period, 64 White and 28 Black adolescents were compared to identify factors associated with DSH in Black adolescents. The main findings were: (1) the referral rate for Black adolescents was in proportion to the community composition; (2) the characteristics of Black and White adolescents referred following DSH were similar for background socio-demographic variables, psychiatric symptoms, circumstances of the attempt and outcome. However, more social stress was reported in the Black group.
Goddard
N
Belgrave Department of Child Psychiatry, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, SE5 9RS, U.K.
Subotsky
F
Fombonne
E