Engelsk titel: What is self-harm?
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Författare:
Sommerfeldt B
;
Skårderud F
Email: bsommerfeldt@gmail.com
Språk: Nor
Antal referenser: 9
Dokumenttyp:
Översikt
UI-nummer: 09041576
Sammanfattning
Background. The aim with this article is to provide an introduction to self-harm as a clinical phenomenon, with phenomenological descriptions and definitions, and by presenting risk factors, epidemiological data and functions of self-harm.
Material and method. The basis for the article is a non-systematic literature search of the electronic databases Medline, PsychInfo and EMBASE (1985 - 2008). and our own archive of literature on self-harm.
Results. There is some evidence for an increase in the prevalence of self-harm. Among possible risk factors are childhood abuse, abandonment, neglect, trauma and separation, and the affective quality of the attachment bonds in childhood. A common factor is self-harm as a bodily practice for affect regulation, and as such, it can be understood as a dysfunctional competence.
Interpretation. To search for understanding of self-harm in individual, familiar and cultural contexts contributes to meet individuals with such tendencies with empathy and beneficial interventions.