title: Self-harming in depressed patients: pattern analysis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  As deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a common concomitant of depressive disorders, we undertook a study examining the relevance of possible determinants and correlates of DSH.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three separate samples of depressed outpatients were studied to determine consistency of identified factors across samples, with principal analyses involving gender, age and diagnosis-matched DSH and non-DSH subjects.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Across the samples, some 20% of subjects admitted to episodes of DSH. Women reported higher rates and there was a consistent trend for higher rates in bipolar patients. Univariate analyses examined the relevance of several sociodemographic variables, illicit drug and alcohol use, past deprivational and abusive experiences, past suicidal attempts and disordered personality functioning. Multivariate analyses consistently identified previous suicide attempts and high 'acting out' behaviours across the three samples, suggesting the relevance of an externalizing response to stress and poor impulse control.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results assist the identification and management of depressed patients who are at greater risk of DSH behaviours.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. g.parker@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parker
authors.forename: Gin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malhi
authors.forename: Philip
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: Beth
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kotze
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
authors.forename: Kay
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Parker
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000523:psychology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000523:psychology; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000523:psychology