Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Adolescents in Amman, Jordan

Abstract

While previous research has demonstrated cross-national differences in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), most studies to date have taken place in North America. The present study investigated the prevalence and characteristics of NSSI in a sample of 952 Jordanian adolescents (49.8% female) between the ages of 11-19 years. Participants completed a screening measure to assess occurrence of NSSI and its characteristics. Results indicate an overall lifetime prevalence of 22.6% (n = 215), with significantly more males (26.98%, n = 129) than females (18.14%, n = 86) reporting having engaged in NSSI at least once in their lifetime. This study provides empirical evidence that adolescent engagement in NSSI occurs at similar prevalence levels in Jordan, relative to North American samples, whereas gender comparisons of prevalence and characteristics revealed several differences.

Non-suicidal self-injury in Shanghai inner bound middle school students

“…Almost a quarter of the adolescents reported that they had intentionally harmed themselves at least once during the past 12 months. This is consistent with results from earlier studies of adolescents in other countries,3 9 but lower than findings from other Chinese cities. 824…”

“…Beyond prevalence rates and methods, research on the body location of NSSI remains limited. A small number of studies have shown that the common injury locations involve the arms, legs and the head, with gender differences reported for type and location of injury among adolescents 3 10. For example, Hanania and colleagues3 investigated the characteristics of NSSI in a sample of 952 Jordanian adolescents (49.8% female) between the ages of 11 and 19 years and found that females were more likely than males to engage in cutting.…”

“…A small number of studies have shown that the common injury locations involve the arms, legs and the head, with gender differences reported for type and location of injury among adolescents 3 10. For example, Hanania and colleagues3 investigated the characteristics of NSSI in a sample of 952 Jordanian adolescents (49.8% female) between the ages of 11 and 19 years and found that females were more likely than males to engage in cutting. Conversely, males were more likely than females to report self-punching; females were more likely to injure their arms and legs, whereas males were more likely to injure their jaw, face and genitals.…”

The effect of social capital on non-suicidal self-injury and suicidal behaviors among college students in Greece during the current economic crisis

“…Rates of NSSI behaviors have been reported as between 16 and 44 percent (Kokaliari, 2014; Prinstein et al, 2010; Whitlock et al, 2011). The majority of these studies have been conducted in the United States, but evidence from other countries suggest similar rates in, for example, Italy, Jordan, and Indonesia (Gholamrezaei et al, 2015; Hanani et al, 2014; Tresno et al, 2012).…”

An exploratory comparative study of perspectives on non-suicidal self-injurious behaviors among social work students in the United States, Greece, Cyprus, and Jordan: Implications for social work practice and education

“…In Taiwan, two studies among high school students reported rates of 22.4 percent (Chen, 2006) and 11.3 percent (Tsai et al, 2011). Finally, in Jordan, a study of self-injury among 950 adolescents reported a lifetime prevalence of 22 percent and that males were more likely than females to self-injure (Hanania et al, 2014).…”