SELF-MUTILATION AND SUICIDE ATTEMPT - DISTINGUISHING FEATURES IN PRISONERS

Nonlethal forms of self-injury are often discussed together with suici de attempts as though they belonged on a continuum of self-harm, Both types of self-injury are common in prisons, which have a predominantly male population; however, most studies of nonlethal self-injury have been done with female subjects, This exploratory study tested the hypo thesis that prisoners who injured themselves without intending to die would differ clinically from prisoners who had attempted suicide, Inma tes admitted to the prison unit of a public hospital for treatment of self-inflicted wounds or who had a history of previous self-injury wer e administered a standardized intake protocol by the first author, whi ch included asking about their intent at the time they injured themsel ves, Patients were classified as self-mutilators or suicide attempters on the basis of intent, Fifteen patients reported that they had attem pted to take their own lives, while 16 reported other reasons for harm ing themselves, Suicide attempt was associated with adult affective di sorder (13/15 versus 2/16 mutilators); self-mutilation with a history of childhood hyperactivity (12/16 versus 1/15 suicide attempters) and a mixed dysthymia/anxiety syndrome that began in childhood or early ad olescence (9/16), Prison self-mutilators and suicide attempters had ve ry different clinical presentations and histories, The history of chil dhood hyperactivity in self-mutilators deserves further study in both correctional and noncorrectional population.