title: Deliberate self harm in adolescents: self report survey in schools in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the prevalence of deliberate self harm in adolescents and the factors associated with it.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross sectional survey using anonymous self report questionnaire.
  
  
  METHODS
  41 schools in England.
  
  
  METHODS
  6020 pupils aged 15 and 16 years.
  
  
  METHODS
  Deliberate self harm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  398 (6.9%) participants reported an act of deliberate self harm in the previous year that met study criteria. Only 12.6% of episodes had resulted in presentation to hospital. Deliberate self harm was more common in females than it was in males (11.2% v 3.2%; odds ratio 3.9, 95% confidence interval 3.1 to 4.9). In females the factors included in a multivariate logistic regression for deliberate self harm were recent self harm by friends, self harm by family members, drug misuse, depression, anxiety, impulsivity, and low self esteem. In males the factors were suicidal behaviour in friends and family members, drug use, and low self esteem.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Deliberate self harm is common in adolescents, especially females. School based mental health initiatives are needed. These could include approaches aimed at educating school pupils about mental health problems and screening for those at risk.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Suicide Research, University Department of Psychiatry, Warneford Hospital, Oxford. keith.hawton@psychiatry.ox.ac.uk
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawton
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rodham
authors.forename: Emma
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.forename: Rosamund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Weatherall
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D017678:Sex Distribution