Adolescent Self-Harm Increases Risk for Poor Young Adult Outcomes

Adolescent self-harm, with or without suicidal intent, is relatively common and is alarming to parents and family, who wonder whether this behavior predicts future social and psychiatric difficulties. These researchers used data on 4799 individuals with self-reported self-harm histories at age 16 in a U.K. longitudinal study and tracked their psychiatric diagnoses, substance use, and educational and occupational outcomes through age 21.

After prior depressive symptoms and socioeconomic status were controlled for, self-harm at age 16 predicted increased risk for depression (odds ratios: nonsuicidal self-harm, 2.21; suicidal, 3.94), anxiety (ORs, 2.15 and 4.47), harmful alcohol use (ORs, 1.89 and 1.95), cannabis use (ORs, 2.75 and 5.77), and s…