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Seong E, Noh G, Lee KH, Lee JS, Kim S, Seo DG, Yoo JH, Hwang H, Choi CH, Han DH, Hong SB, Kim JW. Relationship of Social and Behavioral Characteristics to Suicidality in Community Adolescents With Self-Harm: Considering Contagion and Connection on Social Media. Front Psychol 2021; 12:691438. [PMID: 34326799 PMCID: PMC8315269 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.691438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A close link has been established between self-harm and suicide risk in adolescents, and increasing attention is given to social media as possibly involved in this relationship. It is important to identify indicators of suicidality (i.e., suicide ideation or attempt) including aspects related to contagion in online and offline social networks and explore the role of social media in the relationship between social circumstances and suicidality in young adolescents with self-harm. This study explored characteristics of Korean adolescents with a recent history of self-harm and identified how behavioral and social features explain lifetime suicidality with emphasis on the impact of social media. Data came from a nationwide online survey among sixth- to ninth-graders with self-harm during the past 12 months (n = 906). We used χ2 tests of independence to explore potential concomitants of lifetime suicidality and employed a multivariate logistic regression model to examine the relationship between the explanatory variables and suicidality. Sensitivity analyses were performed with lifetime suicide attempt in place of lifetime suicidality. 33.9% (n = 306) and 71.2% (n = 642) reported to have started self-harm by the time they were fourth- and six-graders, respectively; 44.3% (n = 400) reported that they have friends who self-harm. Having endorsed moderate/severe forms and multiple forms of self-harm (OR 5.36, p < 0.001; OR 3.13, p < 0.001), having engaged in self-harm for two years or more (OR 2.42, p = 0.001), having friends who self-harm (OR 1.92, p = 0.013), and having been bullied at school were associated with an increased odds of lifetime suicidality (OR 2.08, p = 0.004). Notably, having posted content about one's self-harm on social media during the past 12 months was associated with an increased odds of lifetime suicidality (OR 3.15, p < 0.001), whereas having seen related content in the same period was not. Sensitivity analyses yielded similar results with lifetime suicide attempt, supporting our findings from the logistic regression. The current study suggests that self-harm may be prevalent from early adolescence in South Korea with assortative gathering. The relationship of vulnerable adolescents' social circumstances to suicide risk may be compounded by the role of social media. As the role of social media can be linked to both risk (i.e., contagion) and benefit (i.e., social connection and support), pre-existing vulnerabilities alongside SH and what online communication centers on should be a focus of clinical attention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eunice Seong
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Gahye Noh
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Kyung Hwa Lee
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jong-Sun Lee
- Department of Psychology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon-si, South Korea
| | - Sojung Kim
- Department of Psychiatry, Hanyang University Seoul Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Dong Gi Seo
- Department of Psychology, Hallym University, Chuncheon-si, South Korea
| | - Jae Hyun Yoo
- Department of Psychiatry, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Hyunchan Hwang
- Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Chi-Hyun Choi
- Department of Psychiatry, SMG-SNU Boramae Medical Center, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Doug Hyun Han
- Department of Psychiatry, Chung-Ang University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Soon-Beom Hong
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Jae-Won Kim
- Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul, South Korea
- Department of Psychiatry and Institute of Human Behavioral Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea
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Gargiulo A, Tessitore F, Le Grottaglie F, Margherita G. Self-harming behaviours of asylum seekers and refugees in Europe: A systematic review. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2020; 56:189-198. [PMID: 32557612 DOI: 10.1002/ijop.12697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The increasing number of asylum seekers and refugees in Europe calls for even more professionals to take care of refugees' mental health. Although different studies claim that migration could be a potential risk factor for self-harming behaviours, an in-depth exploration of the presence and characteristics of self-harm in the context of asylum is needed. In accordance with PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted across the databases Scopus, PubMed, Web of Knowledge and PsycArticles, regarding the main features of self-harming behaviour among refugees in Europe. Twelve articles and 3 main trajectories were identified: (1) A context at-risk: self-harm and detention centres; (2) A target at-risk: self-harm and unaccompanied minors; (3) A comparison between the mental health of asylum seekers and natives. Research on this topic in Europe is still underdeveloped and disorganised. Studies have mainly carried out wider quantitative investigations on mental health, usually overlapping self-harm with suicide. Detention centres emerged as the most widely investigated context and the one with the highest risk for self-harming behaviours. Instead, unaccompanied minors emerged as a particularly vulnerable category. Research in this field should be improved, combining quantitative and qualitative methods for a deeper understanding of the meanings of self-harm across cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Gargiulo
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
| | | | | | - Giorgia Margherita
- Department of Humanities, University of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy
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