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Table 3 Description of self-harm actions and consequences among the 905 participants who reported self-harm

From: Adolescent self-harm and suicidal thoughts in the ALSPAC cohort: a self-report survey in England

 

N (% of those who have ever self-harmed)

  
  

Males

(n = 180)

Females

(n = 725)

TOTAL

(n = 905)

χ2

p-value

Ever seriously wanted to kill self during self-harm act1

Yes

54 (30.3)

222 (31.0)

276 (30.9)

0.03

0.863

 

No

124 (70.0)

494 (69.0)

618 (69.1)

  

Timing of most recent episode2

Within the past week

12 (6.8)

58 (8.1)

70 (7.8)

0.4

0.799

 

More than a week but within a year

93 (52.8)

364 (50.6)

457 (51.1)

  
 

More than one year ago

71 (40.3)

297 (41.3)

368 (41.1)

  

What they did (most recent time)3

Swallowed pills only

1 (0.6)

36 (5.0)

37 (4.1)

46.6

<0.001

 

Self-cut only

105 (58.7)

475 (65.7)

580 (64.1)

  
 

Burnt themselves only

7 (3.9)

10 (1.4)

17 (1.9)

  
 

Self-battery only

33 (18.4)

42 (5.8)

75 (8.3)

  
 

Other single method7

3 (1.7)

7 (1.0)

10 (1.1)

  
 

Cut and overdose

4 (2.2)

49 (6.8)

53 (5.9)

  
 

Cut and self-battery

5 (2.8)

27 (3.7)

32 (3.5)

  
 

Other multiple method8

22 (12.2)

79 (10.9)

98 (10.9)

  

Sought medical help (most recent time)4

Yes

19 (10.6)

93 (12.8)

112 (12.4)

0.6

0.456

 

No

161 (89.4)

632 (87.2)

793 (87.6)

  

Frequency of self-harm in the last year5

Once

25 (23.8)

97 (23.1)

122 (23.2)

3.1

0.377

 

2-5 times

48 (45.1)

171 (40.7)

219 (41.7)

  
 

6-10 times

9 (8.6)

60 (14.3)

69 (13.1)

  
 

More than 10 times

23 (21.9)

92 (21.9)

115 (21.9)

  

How they felt after the most recent episode of self-harm)6

Better than before

77 (44.0)

366 (50.8)

443 (49.4)

16.5

<0.001

 

The same

79 (45.1)

217 (30.1)

296 (33.0)

  
 

Worse than before

19 (10.9)

138 (19.1)

157 (17.5)

  
  1. Notes
  2. 1. Non-respondents = 11.
  3. 2. Non-respondents = 10.
  4. 3. Non-respondents = 3.
  5. 4. Non-respondents = 0.
  6. 5. As this question did not include ‘never’ as an option, this analysis was carried out only with those who did not select ‘more than a year ago’ in answer to when they last hurt themselves on purpose, n = 525.
  7. 6. Non-respondents = 9.
  8. 7. Excess of alcohol/drugs (n = 2), jumping/dangerous behaviour (n = 2), hanging/strangulation/suffocation (n = 1) or method not specified (n = 2).
  9. 8. Includes other combinations of two methods, and three or more methods of any combination.