Risk factors and protective factors for self-harming behavior

One of the risk factors for self-harming behaviors is adolescence itself. Self-harm usually begins between the ages of 12 and 16, a particularly vulnerable period. One reason may be impulsivity, and another is the high emotional reactivity associated with development during this stage.

But apart from adolescence, there are other specific risk factors for self-harming behaviors, such as:

• A previous history of self-harm .
• The presence of unstable personality traits , with high emotional reactivity, affective instability, an excessive need for approval or admiration, etc.
• Hopelessness .
• Gender . Some studies show that women are more likely than men to engage in self-harming behavior, regardless of age.
• Adverse interpersonal experiences . Some studies suggest an increased risk in people who have experienced sexual abuse, parental neglect, bullying, or mistreatment. Although this does not mean that having suffered these experiences is the cause of self-harming behavior.
• Social learning and imitation . Seeing these behaviors at school, on television or on social networks can increase the risk.
• Self-harm that occurs frequently and using different methods is a predictor of repetition of these behaviors over the following year after they were initiated.

Personality traits as a risk factor

Part of these variables are dysfunctional personality traits and, specifically, unstable personalities, with high emotional reactivity, with a tendency towards impulsive behaviors or developing excessively subjective or egocentric points of view, etc.

Dysfunctional personality traits, in general, refer to an enduring pattern of internal experience and behavior that deviates markedly from the person's cultural expectations. This pattern manifests itself in the areas of cognition, affectivity, interpersonal functioning, and impulse control.

In adolescence, personality problems can be difficult to diagnose and professional clinical intervention may be necessary, since during this period the personality is being formed and structured . In addition, the crises typical of adolescence can lead to non-pathological personality alterations that can be confused with dysfunctional (pathological) traits.

Gender differences

Traditionally, self-harm has been considered a predominantly female phenomenon. There are many studies on prevalence and incidence that support this view. However, there are also recent studies that qualify the data from older studies and some research indicates smaller differences in incidence according to sex and gender.

One widely demonstrated aspect is the use of different methods by boys and girls when committing non-suicidal self-harm. While girls are more prone to cuts, scratches and actions that cause bleeding, boys are more prone to blows and burns.

Resilience, a protective factor

The protective factors for self-harming behavior are the same as those for any emotional disorder or problem, and are related to people's capacities or abilities to cope with negative or stressful life events , without developing dysfunctional or pathological behaviors.

In this sense, we speak of resilience as the ability to cope with negative life events (Dray et al., 2017). It has also been defined as a person's ability to adapt to difficult situations and persist in the face of adversity; or as the ability to recover after a traumatic or stressful event (Norris et al., 2009). The development of resilience during adolescence (between the ages of 12 and 18) is considered an effective coping alternative in some of the mental disorders present in today's society.

Evidence indicates that not all adolescents who experience adverse situations develop mental health problems. Some studies have shown that the key seems to be resilience, which is fundamental in recovering from trauma and adverse events (Rutter, 2013). This capacity for recovery can act as a protective factor against the development of mental disorders; and, consequently, its absence could be a risk factor for a series of clinical pathologies (Srivastava et al., 2019).