The preceding article by Hawton and colleagues reporting on a prospective study of adolescents presenting with self-harm to Accident and Emergency departments (A&E) is one of the largest epidemiological studies to examine the long-term outcomes of self-harm in children and adolescents. After a median of 6 years nearly 30% re-presented to A&E with…

The death of a child is one of the most tragic events imaginable. Even more gut-wrenching is when a child intentionally chooses to end his or her own life in order to escape from unbearable suffering. Unfortunately, the occurrence of self-harm behaviors increases dramatically and occurs at elevated rates during adolescence (Nock et al., 2008), and…

Examining Malcolm Browne's photograph of the burning monk as well as appropriations of it by the Ministers' Vietnam Committee, I argue that self-immolation is a powerful rhetorical act that utilizes self-inflicted violence as a means of performing a visual embodiment of violence done by an "other." I assert that the power and resonance…

Whereas non-suicidal self injury (NSSI) is reported in 13-23% of adolescents and is an increasingly studied topic, there has been little investigation into the pathophysiology behind self-injury. This commentary examines recent research into pain and emotional distress to discuss implications for the manner we should understand, research, and…

The analysis of the early development of self-injurious behavior (SIB) has, to date, reflected the wider distinction between nature and nurture. Despite the status of genetic factors as risk markers for the later development of SIB, a model that accounts for their influence on early behavior-environment relations is lacking. In the current paper…

The underlying proposition for any experimental/therapeutic trial is the uncertainty that the risks of treatment will be outweighed by its benefits. For some therapeutic interventions (e.g., exercise programs, vitamin supplementation), the potential for treatment-emergent adverse events may prima facie be low or negligible, whereas for others…

Approximately 60% of suicides are due to major affective illness; another 20% are due to affective spectrum disorders. Suicidal patients should be evaluated for major and minor psychiatric illness presenting with self-destructive impulses, and diagnosis-specific psychopharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and sociotherapy should be provided. (Author)

In this article I explore some of the limitations of violence, in particular focusing on how it can possibly be undermined by dialogical action. Firstly, I argue that, although violence is at times justified by some people, its disrespectful use against innocent others, makes it illegitimate and therefore un-dialogical. Secondly, the use of…

This paper reviews hypotheses suggesting psychological, behavioral, physiological, or neurochemical factors as causes of self-injury in individuals with severe/profound mental retardation. A compulsive behavior hypothesis is introduced, suggesting that self-injury occurs with cerebral dysfunction is compulsive, may occur in the context of a…

A group of exceptionally gifted adolescents between the ages of 14 and 25 were each treated in individual psychotherapy over the course of a number of years. They were referred for symptoms of anxiety, depression, self-destructive behavior, and underachievement. Each phase of their gifted development was accompanied by particular anxieties and…

In this interview, psychiatrist Barry Garfinkel and "Kappan" Senior Fellow Jack Frymier explore appropriate school responses to the growing adolescent suicide problem. The three strongest social correlates of youthful suicidal behavior are family background, youth unemployment, and decreasing religious observance. Superintendents need to control…

Provides descriptive account of one common type of out-of-home placement for children, residential treatment center. Attempts to portray daily life in children's residential program by spending day with seven-year-old boy in residential treatment. Describes morning and school routine; afternoon routine of homework, chores, individual counseling,…

The British novelist Nicky Singer talks about becoming a writer, the role of editors and about who decides what can--and what cannot--be published on either side of the Atlantic. Her three novels explore territory which can make publishers nervous: "Feather Boy" (initiation rites and domestic violence), "Doll" (self-harm) and…

Using the psychoanalytic self-psychology of Heinz Kohut as the theoretical foundation, this article discusses the role of shame in adolescent suicidal behaviors. Shame is described as an essential aspect of adolescent suicidal behavior because of the significance of the stage of adolescence in the development of the healthy self. Normal…

Qualifications are proposed in applying a diagnosis of psychopathic personality that considers impulsivity, feelings of remorse, and thrill seeking. Depth interviews with rock climbers and high-speed motorcyclists revealed that thrill seeking itself may not be a reliable indicator of psychopathy. (Author/TE)