Coping strategies in adolescents who self-harm.

BACKGROUND Adolescent self-harm (SH) is a major public health concern, associated with poor outcomes. The use of ineffective coping is often referred to in explanatory models of adolescent SH. AIMS To assess the relationship between SH and coping strategies in a large sample of school-aged adolescents. METHOD A sample of public school students (n = 1,713), aged between 12 and 20 years, were examined using an anonymously completed questionnaire. SH was defined according to strict criteria through a two-stage procedure. Study participants were divided into two groups: no self-harm and lifetime self-harm. The differences between groups were explored, including logistic regression analyses (controlling for anxiety and depression effects), to reveal which coping strategies better predicted lifetime SH. RESULTS The use of nonproductive strategies was associated with SH in both genders, particularly self-blame and tension reduction. Strategies involving consulting significant others for support were used less in the SH group, especially among male subjects. The preferential use of a productive coping style was negatively associated with the SH group in both genders. CONCLUSION The results support previous data regarding a different pattern of coping strategies used by adolescents who harm themselves. The use of self-rating instruments and the cross-sectional nature of the study limit our results.