Predictors of deliberate self-harm among adolescents: Answers from a cross-sectional study on India

BACKGROUND: Although existing research supports the correlation of hereditary and psychological factors with an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm, there is a dearth of research that focus on their socio-economic characteristics. This paper intends to identity the potential risk factors that influence an adolescent’s deliberate self-harm. METHODS: Data for this study was obtained from Understanding the Lives of Adolescents and Young Adults (UDAYA) study conducted in 2015–16 with sample of 5,969 adolescent boys and 9,419 girls aged 10–19 years. The outcome variable was deliberate self-harm among adolescents. The explanatory variables added in the study were age, current schooling status, working status, media exposure, access to internet, parental abuse, involvement in fights, substance use, depressive symptoms, caste, religion, wealth index, residence and states. Bivariate analysis along with binary logistic regression analysis was done to fulfill the study objectives. RESULTS: About 4.5% and 3.2% of adolescent boys and girls, respectively had deliberate self-harm. The odds of deliberate self-harm were 50 per cent more likely among adolescent girls who had internet access [OR 1.50; CI 1.05–2.16]. The likelihood of deliberate self-harm was 49 per cent and 61 per cent significantly more likely among adolescent boys [OR 1.49; CI 1.11–2.0] and girls [OR 1.61; CI 1.27–2.04] who experienced parental physical abuse respectively. With reference to minimal/mild depressive symptoms, adolescents who had moderate [boys-OR 2.10; CI 1.29–3.4 and girls-OR 2.50; CI 1.774–3.59] or moderately high/severe [boys-OR 4.58; CI 2.88–7.29 and girls-OR 4.18; CI 3.1–5.63] depressive symptoms had significantly higher odds of deliberate self-harm. CONCLUSIONS: Internet access, parental abuse, involvement in fights, and depressive symptoms emerged as significant predictors of deliberate self-harm among adolescent boys and girls. Results suggest that an early identification of the predictors and intervention might prevent deliberate self-harm among adolescents. Since parents play a major role in the lives and development of adolescents, it is highly recommended that they initiate open and supportive communication with their children.