Text descriptions - Self-injury among adolescents

Figure 1: Self-injury thoughts and behaviours from age 14-15 to 16-17

Bar chart

  • Thoughts of self-injury
    • At 14-15 (n = 536): 16.4%
    • At 16-17 (n = 595): 21.2%
    • At either age (n = 895): 30.1%
  • Act(s) of self-injury
    • At 14-15 (n = 302): 9.7%
    • At 16-17 (n = 312): 11.2%
    • At either age (n = 516): 17.8%

<< Return to Figure 1.

Figure 2: Escalation of self-injury from age 14-15 to 16-17

Infographic:

  • NONE (no self-injury at either age) - 83.8%
  • STOP (self-injury at age 14–15 but none at 16–17) - 5.4%
  • START (self-injury at age 16–17 but none at 14–15) - 6.8%
  • REPEAT (self-injury at both ages) - 4.0%

<< Return to Figure 2.

Figure 3: Prevalence of self-injury at ages 14-15 and 16-17, by sex

Bar chart:

Girls

  • At 14-15:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 24.8%
    • acts of self-injury - 15.2%
  • At 16-17:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 29.6%
    • acts of self-injury - 16.3%
  • At either age
    • thoughts of self-injury - 40.8%
    • acts of self-injury - 25.3%
  • At both ages:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 15.5%
    • acts of self-injury - 7.0%

Boys

  • At 14-15:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 8.5%;
    • acts of self-injury - 4.4%
  • At 16-17:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 13.0%;
    • acts of self-injury - 6.3%
  • At either age
    • thoughts of self-injury - 18.1%;
    • acts of self-injury - 9.0%
  • At both ages:
    • thoughts of self-injury - 3.9%;
    • acts of self-injury - 1.7%

<< Return to Figure 3.

Figure 4: Key risk factors across childhood associated with self-injury

Infographic:

Socio-demographics

  • Increased risk - Strong effect
    • Girls
    • Same-sex attracted
  • Protective - Strong effect
    • Non-English speaking background

Early years

  • Increased risk - weaker effect
    • Worse parent mental health at age 4-5

Early adolescence (age 12–13)

  • Increased risk - strong effect
    • Depressive symptoms
  • Increased risk - medium effect
    • Poor quality sleep
    • Victim of bullying
    • Ever having repeated a grade
  • Increased risk - weaker effect
    • Anxiety symptoms
    • Less supportive parenting (low maternal responsiveness, low paternal autonomy-granting)
  • Protective - Medium effect
    • Close relationship with at least one parent
    • Non-government schools

<< Return to Figure 4.