How Do Families Represent the Functions of Deliberate Self-Harm? A Comparison between the Social Representations from Adolescents and Their Parents

Abstract

Research has recognized the importance of understanding the social representations about the functions of deliberate self-harm, particularly in the context of clinical intervention. In addition, parents can play a relevant role in the rehabilitation of adolescents with these behaviors. However, there are few studies that focused on the description and comparison of the social representations about these functions, particularly in families. This article aimed to analyze the social representations about the functions of deliberate self-harm from adolescents and their parents. We developed two sets of analyses: first we compared the social representations from adolescents without a history of deliberate self-harm and their parents, and secondly we compared the social representations about the functions of deliberate self-harm from adolescents with a history of these behaviors and their parents' social representations. Results revealed significant differences between both groups of families, implying that the groups of participants represent the functions of deliberate self-harm differently. Overall, parents emphasized interpersonal functions and devalued intrapersonal functions. These differences were heightened in the families of adolescents with deliberate self-harm. The present article provides important insights regarding the social representations about the functions of deliberate self-harm and the differences between parents' social representations and their children experiences and social representations.

Self-harm as a predisposition for suicide attempts: A study of adolescents' deliberate self-harm, suicidal ideation, and suicide attempts

“…There may be intrapersonal reasons (e.g., negative affects' relief, feelings' seeking to reduce the experience of anhedonia) or interpersonal reasons (e.g., disease's communication, help request, escape from a difficult situation) for DSH behaviors (Ayub and Arabia, 2015). In fact, Duarte et al (2019b) conducted a study with the aim of comparing the social representations about the functions of DSH between a group of adolescents with DSH and another without DSH and their respective parents. Results revealed significant differences between both groups of families, implying that the groups of participants represent the functions of deliberate self-harm differently.…”

Social representations about the functions of deliberate self‐harm: Adolescents and parents

“…Regarding the second study, literature suggests that parents do not have a clear understanding of their children deliberate selfharm behaviours (McDonald et al, 2007;Oldershaw et al, 2008) and that they tend to emphasize interpersonal functions (Duarte et al, 2019a). Hence, we hypothesize that significant differences will emerge between the social representations from parents of adolescents with and without a history of deliberate self-harm, and that parents of adolescents without these behaviours will emphasize interpersonal functions (Hypothesis 2).…”

“…We will also compare the social representations from mothers and fathers since the importance of family for intervention and prevention in this context has been recognized (e.g. Arbuthnott & Lewis, 2015;Miner et al, 2016), and research has found differences between their representations (Duarte et al, 2019a).…”

“…A recent study (Duarte, Gouveia-Pereira, Gomes, & Sampaio, 2019a) compared the social representations about the functions of deliberate self-harm between adolescents and their parents in two groups of families of adolescents with and without a history of deliberate self-harm. Results revealed that parents emphasized interpersonal functions and devalued intrapersonal functions when compared to both groups of adolescents and that these differences were heightened in the families of adolescents with a history of deliberate self-harm.…”

Parents of Adolescents Who Experience Suicidal Phenomena—A Scoping Review of Their Experience

“…Fortunately, positive adolescent-parent relationships have been shown to be the most consistent protective factor against adolescent self-harm with strong parental connections being associated with fewer instances of self-harm [ 9 ]. Parents are well placed to provide support outside of healthcare settings and can assist with means restriction, improve access to services, provide increased supervision to ensure safety [ 10 ], and encourage effective interpersonal connection, communication, and emotion regulation [ 11 ]. Furthermore, adolescents are more likely to tell a family member or friend about their self-harm incidents, than a mental health professional [ 12 , 13 ].…”