Self-harm in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders

Arch Suicide Res. 2012;16(2):111-23. doi: 10.1080/13811118.2012.667328.

Abstract

This study describes the prevalence, clinical characteristics, and gender profile of self-harm in a cross-sectional sample of 388 patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. All patients were interviewed and assessed with respect to lifetime self-harm and relevant clinical variables. An overall of 49% of the patients reported self-harm which was associated with female gender, having had a depressive episode, younger age at psychosis onset, alcohol abuse or dependence, current suicidality, awareness of illness, and low adherence to prescribed medication. Higher awareness of having a mental disorder was associated with self-harm in men only, while emotional dysregulation was associated with self-harm in women only. We conclude that while self-harm in patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders is highly prevalent in both genders, risk factors in men and women differ in several important ways.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Norway / epidemiology
  • Prevalence
  • Risk Factors
  • Schizophrenia / complications*
  • Self-Injurious Behavior / epidemiology*
  • Self-Injurious Behavior / psychology
  • Sex Factors
  • Suicide, Attempted / statistics & numerical data*