Clinical and Family Profile of Adolescent Girls with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: Data from a Specialized Psychiatric Institution

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents is an important issue in child and adolescent psychiatry. The inclusion of NSSI in DSM-5 as a “research diagnosis” emphasizes its clinical significance. Despite its widespread prevalence among young people, this phenomenon has not been sufficiently studied in the Russian context, especially with respect to its family and clinical-anamnestic characteristics. The aim of the work: to identify and study the family and clinical-anamnestic characteristics of adolescent girls who committed non-suicidal self-harm in order to describe the key factors associated with this behavior. Patients and Methods: in a cross-sectional observational study, medical and social data of 186 female patients (12-17 years of age) hospitalized in a specialized neuropsychiatric hospital in 2022–2024 were analyzed. Family and clinical-anamnestic characteristics of the participants were assessed based on medical records, a specially developed statistical card, and anamnestic information. Results: the average age of the included patients was 14.9 ± 1.5 years. Emotional and behavioral disorders (F90–F98) were diagnosed in 67.2% of patients, neurotic disorders (F40–F48) in 7.5%, and affective disorders (F30–F39) in 5.9%. Important factors associated with NSSI were dysfunctional family relationships (single-parent family – 35.5%, conflictual relationships between parents – 11.8%), as well as a family history of mental disorders and alcoholism in parents. Perinatal pathologies and traumatic brain injuries were among the clinical and anamnestic factors. Conclusion: the identified clinical, family, and clinical-anamnestic characteristics associated with NSSI indicate the potential importance of a comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and prevention of this behavior in adolescents. The data obtained emphasize the importance of taking into account family and anamnestic factors when developing targeted preventive and therapeutic measures for this group.

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