Online behavior of youth who engage in self-harm provides clues for preventive intervention.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the Internet use and interpersonal interactions of youth reporting deliberate self-harm as defined by any non-fatal act, regardless of intention.


METHODS
The Second Youth Internet Safety Survey is a nationally representative telephone survey of 1500 Internet users (ages 10-17) in the United States, conducted March to June 2005.


RESULTS
Youth reporting deliberate self-harm in the past 6 months (3%) were significantly more likely than other youth to have a sexual screen name or to talk with people known only online about sex (35% versus 5%) and to use chat rooms (57% versus 29%). All youth were equally likely to talk online with people known in person, yet youth engaging in deliberate self-harm were significantly more likely also to have a close relationship with someone met online (38% versus 10%). Three quarters (76%) of youth reporting self-harm used instant messaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Findings suggest that youth who engage in self-harm may be more likely to engage in online behaviors that have the potential to place them in risky situations. Programs aimed at preventing deliberate self-harm should consider adding chat room and instant messaging to their telephone hotline capabilities.
Mitchell
Kimberly J
KJ
Crimes against Children Research Center, Family Research Lab, University of New Hampshire, 10 West Edge Drive, Suite 106, Durham, NH 03824-3586, USA.
Ybarra
Michele L
ML
D000293:Adolescent; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*