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Factors associated with ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm among 18-year-old boys

A prospective 10-year follow-up study

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Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

The aims of the study were: (1) to identify the prevalence of ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm in 18-year-old boys; (2) to report the use of mental health services among these boys; (3) to identify risk factors assessed at age 8 and (4) to identify associated cross-sectional factors at age 18 of self-reported ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm.

Methods

The participants in this community-based 10-year follow-up study consisted of 2,348 boys born during 1981. At baseline, three informant sources were used: parents, teachers and the children themselves. The questionnaires used were the Rutter Parents Scale, the Rutter Teacher Scale and the Children's Depressive Inventory. At follow-up, boys' psychopathology, adaptive functioning and substance use were studied using the Young Adult Self-Report questionnaire. Further questions about demographic factors and life events were added at both stages.

Results

The prevalence of ideation of deliberate self-harm was 4.0%, and of acts 2.2%, during the preceding 6 months. Of the subjects who reported ideation, 9.7%, and of those who reported acts, 16.0%, had used mental health services during the previous year. Self-reported depressive symptoms at age 8 predicted ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm 10 years later. Suicidal boys' problems in many life areas were linked with suicidal tendency through psychiatric symptoms, especially anxious/depressed symptoms and aggressive behaviour.

Conclusions

The connection between self-reported depressive symptoms at age 8 and ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm at age 18 is a good reason to already pay special attention to children's own intimations of distress in elementary school. It is likely that an effective way to prevent suicidality among adolescents is to search for and treat psychiatric problems among young people. Self-reported screening questionnaires used, e.g. in school healthcare, may provide an opportunity to recognize these problems.

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Acknowledgements

The Child Psychiatric Research Foundation of Finland, Finnish Paediatric Research Foundation, Finnish Scientific Advisory Board for Defence, Sigrid Juselius Foundation and Turku University Foundation have supported this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Welfare and School Health Care Clinic, Joint Authority of Health Work in Rauma Region, Box 283, 26101, Rauma, Finland

    Antti Haavisto MD

  2. Dept. of Child Psychiatry, Turku University Hospital, Turku, Finland

    Antti Haavisto MD, Andre Sourander MD, PhD, Päivi Santalahti MD, PhD, Georgios Nikolakaros MD & Jorma Piha MD, PhD

  3. Dept. of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Andre Sourander MD, PhD

  4. Archipelago Sea Naval Command, Turku, Finland

    Petteri Multimäki MD & Kai Parkkola MD, PhD

  5. Dept. of Biostatistics, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Hans Helenius MSc

  6. Clinic of Child Psychiatry, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Irma Moilanen MD, PhD

  7. Dept. of Child Psychiatry, Kuopio University Hospital, Kuopio, Finland

    Kirsti Kumpulainen MD, PhD

  8. Dept. of Child Psychiatry, Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland

    Eeva Aronen MD, PhD & Fredrik Almqvist MD, PhD

  9. Dept. of Child Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland

    Kaija Puura MD, PhD

  10. Dept. of Public Health Science and General Practice, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland

    Sirkka-Liisa Linna MD, PhD

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  1. Antti Haavisto MD
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  2. Andre Sourander MD, PhD
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  3. Petteri Multimäki MD
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  4. Kai Parkkola MD, PhD
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  5. Päivi Santalahti MD, PhD
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  6. Hans Helenius MSc
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  7. Georgios Nikolakaros MD
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  8. Irma Moilanen MD, PhD
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  9. Kirsti Kumpulainen MD, PhD
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  10. Jorma Piha MD, PhD
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  11. Eeva Aronen MD, PhD
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  12. Kaija Puura MD, PhD
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  13. Sirkka-Liisa Linna MD, PhD
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  14. Fredrik Almqvist MD, PhD
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Correspondence to Antti Haavisto MD.

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Haavisto, A., Sourander, A., Multimäki, P. et al. Factors associated with ideation and acts of deliberate self-harm among 18-year-old boys. Soc Psychiat Epidemiol 40, 912–921 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0966-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-005-0966-2

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