Deliberate Self-Harm

Abstract

It is now recognized that not all self-injurious behavior is suicidal, particularly within correctional settings. This class of behaviors is referred to by some authors as deliberate self-harm. The purpose of the present study was to investigate variables that have been described as distinguishing deliberate self-harm from other types of self-injurious behavior. The result suggested that (1) 50% of all prison inmates who injured themselves reported manipulation as their goal; (2) contrary to previous research results, deliberate self-harmers were older than suicidal subjects; (3) self-injurious subjects did not receive differential treatment with regard to length of hospitalization; (4) deliberate self-harmers were more frequently diagnosed as having a borderline personality disorder; (5) deliberate self-harmers more frequently had a history of self-injury than suicidal subjects; and (6) the type of self-injury, as defined, failed to distinguish deliberate self-harmers from others self-injurious subjects.

Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Within Offender Populations: A Systematic Review

“…Although NSSI in correctional settings was seen historically as serving the function of influencing the environment (e.g., Franklin, 1988), more recent research mitigates this view. Indeed, it appears that NSSI serves similar functions in correctional and non-correctional context (Klonsky, 2007), primarily to regulate emotions (e.g., Chapman & DixonGordon, 2007).…”

“…DeHart, Smith, & Kaminski, 2009;Franklin, 1988;Pattison & Kahan, 1983), with manipulative acts of NSSI accounting for up to half of all NSSI in correctional contexts. These studies, however, used non-traditional means for operationalizing "manipulative" motives, such as if participants noted any reason other than suicide (Franklin, 1988).…”

“…Many experienced shame and guilt post-NSSI act. Staff often dealt with NSSI by increasing observation of the patient, this made patients feel punished Franklin (1988) United States N = 284 adult male offenders discharged from a mental health treatment facility in the prison; n = 64 were referred for self-injury (both non-suicidal and suicidal).…”

“…Incarcerated offenders who deliberately injure themselves or threaten to injure themselves are often transferred from the general prison population to mental health treatment programs or special hospitals (Loughran & Seewoonarain, 2005;Melzer et al, 2004). In fact, studies reveal that 18% (Loughran & Seewoonarain, 2005) to 23% (Franklin, 1988) of offenders receiving mental health care were admitted because of NSSI or threat of NSSI, and 48% to 67% of those referred had a history of NSSI (Bland, Mezey & Dolan, 1999;Loughran & Seewoonarain, 2005). Moreover, after transfer to mental health treatment, inmates who engage in NSSI are more likely to be admitted to medium security psychiatric care than low security care (Melzer et al, 2004).…”