Purpose: Little is known about the clinical characteristics and motivations for engaging in non-suicide self-injury (NSSI) behaviors in adolescence. The aim of this study was to examine the prevalence, characteristics and functions of NSSI among adolescents in community settings, and to explore risk factors related to this behavior.Subjects and methods: Two hundred and seventy-five adolescents aged 12 to 17 were recruited randomly from different High Schools in Israel. They completed self-report questionnaires assessing NSSI (Ottawa Self-Injury Inventory), depression (Children's Depression Inventory – CDI) and impulsivity (Barratt Impulsiveness Scale – BIS-II).Results: In the past year, 20.7% of the participants reported engaging NSSI at least once. Among them, 42.1% declared they are still engaging in NSSI at the present. Motives for NSSI were internal emotion regulation reasons, external emotion regulation reasons for social influences. In addition, the NSSI group reported significantly higher levels of depressive, impulsivity and suicidal ideations. Depressive symptoms were found as significant predictors of NSSI in the future.Discussion and conclusions: High rates of NSSI among community adolescents were found. Depression, impulsivity and suicidal ideation were found significantly related to NSSI. Mental health professionals in schools and in primary care should routinely assess NSSI among adolescents.

From The Journal of Clinical Psychiatry:

ObjectiveTo examine the course of health risk behaviors (HRBs) during a 3-year period after a parent's death in bereaved youth compared with nonbereaved youth (control subjects).DesignA longitudinal population-based study.SettingBereaved families were recruited through coroner records and by advertisement. Control families were recruited using random-digit dialing and by advertisement.ParticipantsTwo hundred forty parentally bereaved offspring were compared with 183 nonbereaved control offspring.Main ExposureSudden parental death due to accident, suicide, or sudden disease-related (natural) death.Main Outcome MeasuresThe sum of the total number of HRBs at a clinically significant frequency threshold assessed 9, 21, and 33 months after the parent's death.ResultsThe bereaved group showed a higher number of HRBs over time compared with the nonbereaved group (univariate effect sizes, 0.22-0.52; P < .04), even after taking into account correlates of bereavement and of HRBs, such as youth aggression, as well as antisocial and anxiety disorders of the deceased parent.ConclusionsParental bereavement is associated with higher HRBs in youth over time, even after controlling for other covariates associated with bereavement and HRBs. Clinicians should be aware that bereaved youth may be vulnerable to HRBs. Further work is warranted on interventions to attenuate the negative effect of bereavement on HRBs.