DELIBERATE SELF-HARM IN ADOLESCENTS - HOPELESSNESS, DEPRESSION, PROBLEMS AND PROBLEM-SOLVING

This study looks at a group of adolescents who have taken overdoses an d examines the type and severity of their problems. It measures hopele ssness and depression, and whether these adolescents feel their parent s understand them. The study also examines the ways in which these ado lescents perceive their overdose as a problem-solving mechanism. The s tudy shows that hopelessness in adolescent self-harm is an important i ndependent variable over and above the level of depression. The adoles cents report a wide range of problems with severe and significant prob lems particularly in the area of family relationships and school. Fina lly, the paper postulates links between severity of problems, hopeless ness and deficits in problem-solving abilities, and suggests areas for potential therapeutic interventions. (C) 1996 The Association for Pro fessionals in Services for Adolescents