title: Identifying risk of deliberate self-harm through longitudinal monitoring of psychological distress in an inpatient psychiatric population.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  While cross-sectional correlates of deliberate self-harm, such as psychological distress, have been identified; it is still difficult to predict which individuals experiencing distress will engage in deliberate self-harm, and when this may occur. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the ability of longitudinal measurements of psychological distress to predict deliberate self-harm in a psychiatric population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants (N = 933; age range 14-93 (M = 38.95, SD = 14.64; 70% female) were monitored daily in terms of suicidal ideation, depression, anxiety, worthlessness and perceptions of not coping. Latent Growth Curve Analysis was used to check if groups of inpatients reporting suicidal ideation, who shared early change in measures of psychological distress, existed. Logistic regression tested whether different groups were at higher (or lower) risks of deliberate self-harm.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four groups were found. Of these, Non-Responders (high symptoms, remaining high) were more likely to engage in deliberate self-harm than patients with high, medium and low symptoms which improved over one week. Group membership was a greater predictor of deliberate self-harm than initial distress scores. Females and patients with personality disorders were significantly more likely to be Non-Responders.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Continuous monitoring and subsequent grouping of inpatients according to their early change in psychological distress provides a novel and practical approach to risk management. A lack of early improvement in psychological distress may indicate a higher risk of deliberate self-harm.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, 6009, Western Australia. shraddha.kashyap@research.uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Shraddha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kashyap
authors.affiliation: Perth Clinic, 21 Havelock Street, West Perth, WA, 600, Australia. GeoffH@perthclinic.com.au.
authors.forename: Geoffrey R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Hooke
authors.affiliation: University of Western Australia & Perth Clinic, Perth, Western Australia. andrew.page@uwa.edu.au.
authors.forename: Andrew C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Page
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001007:Anxiety / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010554:Personality Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D059020:Suicidal Ideation; D055815:Young Adult