title: Why Do Adolescents Self-Harm?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Given the high rates of self-harm among adolescents, recent research has focused on a better understanding of the motives for the behavior.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study had three aims: to investigate (a) which motives are most frequently endorsed by adolescents who report self-harm; (b) whether motives reported at baseline predict repetition of self-harm over a 6-month period; and (c) whether self-harm motives differ between boys and girls.
  
  
  METHODS
  In all, 987 school pupils aged 14-16 years completed a lifestyle and coping questionnaire at two time points 6 months apart that recorded self-harm and the associated motives.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The motive "to get relief from a terrible state of mind" was the most commonly endorsed reason for self-harm (in boys and girls). Interpersonal reasons (e.g., "to frighten someone") were least commonly endorsed. Regression analyses showed that adolescents who endorsed wanting to get relief from a terrible state of mind at baseline were significantly more likely to repeat self-harm at follow-up than those adolescents who did not cite this motive.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results highlight the complex nature of self-harm. They have implications for mental health provision in educational settings, especially in relation to encouraging regulation of emotions and help-seeking.
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: 2 Centre for Suicide Research, University Department of Psychiatry, Warnford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
authors.forename: Keith
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hawton
authors.affiliation: 1 School of Psychological Sciences and Health, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Sion
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Philpott-Morgan
authors.affiliation: 3 Suicidal Behaviour Research Laboratory, Institute of Health and Wellbeing, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
authors.forename: Rory C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: O'Connor
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009660:Northern Ireland / Q000453:epidemiology; D012008:Recurrence; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D012737:Sex Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: adolescent; motives; reasons; repetition; self-harm