The Prevalence of 22 Self-Harm Behaviors in a Consecutive Sample of Obstetrics/Gynecology Outpatients

Abstract

Background:

While a number of previous studies have examined limited forms of self-harm behavior, such as suicidal ideation/attempts/completions, or one specific behavior such as cutting or burning oneself (most frequently in psychiatric populations), few studies have examined the lifetime prevalence of multiple self-harm behaviors in a single non-psychiatric population and no study has done so among obstetrics/gynecology outpatients.

Method:

Using a cross-sectional consecutive sample of 370 women presenting to an obstetrics/gynecology outpatient clinic and a self-report survey methodology, we examined the lifetime prevalence of 22 self-harm behaviors.

Results:

In this sample, the most frequently self-reported self-harm behaviors were: engaged in emotionally abusive relationships (24.7%), abused alcohol (22.0%), been promiscuous (21.0%), attempted suicide (18.3%), and tortured self with self-defeating thoughts (16.7%). Four of these preceding behaviors were also the most commonly reported 5 of 22 behaviors in 3 previous studies of self-harm behavior in different clinical populations.

Conclusions:

It appears that the most frequently reported lifetime self-harm behaviors are relatively common across various non-psychiatric clinical populations of adults, albeit in different proportions, with some exceptions (i.e., suicide attempts in the present sample).