This corrosion: A systematic review of the association between alternative subcultures and the risk of self‐harm and suicide

Abstract

The review supports the suggestion that those who identify as belonging to an alternative subculture may be at a higher risk of self-harm and suicidal behaviour. It also presents preliminary evidence that alternative affiliation predicts self-harm over time, and that this effect holds whilst adjusting for a number of likely confounders. The findings highlight the importance of increasing the awareness of the victimization and potential risk that these groups hold and suggests areas for intervention in health, educational, and social services. The review does not, however, indicate specifically what it is about alternative subculture affiliation (or alternative music preference) that could contribute to the risk of self-harm. Consequently, studies with a greater focus on mechanisms are needed. Methodological limitations (e.g., cross-sectional studies, small sample of 'alternative' participants, westernized samples) restricted the reliability and validity of the results which impacted on the extent to which the findings could be generalized more widely.

Psychological Correlates of Self-Harm within Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual UK University Students

“…It would also be of value to investigation whether these psychological variables help explain elevated self-harm risk seen in other marginalised groups (e.g. Hughes, Knowles, Dhingra, Nicholson, & Taylor, 2018).…”

An examination of the relationship between shame, guilt and self-harm: A systematic review and meta-analysis

“…Studies included in the review were evaluated for risk of bias using an adapted version of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ; Williams, Plassman, Burke, Holsinger, & Benjamin, 2010) risk of bias tool. The AHRQ has previously been adapted for use in systematic reviews of self-injurious behaviour and associated constructs (Hughes et al, 2018; Taylor, Hutton, & Wood, 2015). The tool assesses risk of bias over eleven domains, including the validity of measures used, unbiased selection of participants, and appropriateness of analytic methods.…”

“…Since shame is the emotion perhaps most synonymous with self-hate it may therefore be relevant in driving suicidal urges. Shame may be part of the mechanism explaining the increased risk of self-harm in some marginalized groups, such as those who are lesbian, gay or bisexual (Taylor, Dhingra, Dickson, & McDermott, 2018), or those belonging to alternative subcultures (Hughes, Knowles, Dhingra, Nicholson, & Taylor, 2018). For example, experiences of rejection associated with belonging to a marginalized group (e.g.…”

Overcome Discrimination: A Logistic Regression with 10-year Longitudinal Investigation of Emo Kids’ Facebook Posts

“…In aforementioned section, emo is both music genre and subculture, some members or fans of which engage self-mutilation and suicide, while public stereotyped them -as a whole-to be folk devils with aggression against self [30], [31]. Problem music, whether punk, emo, or metal, has been targeted as the cause of negative behaviors [32].…”