I'm looking for research on elementary age kids cutting and other self-harm topics. I think elementary age kids, especially those experiencing the divorce or separation of parents do engage in self-harm albeit not to the extent of teens.
Thanks
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I would also consider other methods of self harm in an elementary age kid. My self-harm was serious head banging and hitting myself in the head and other parts of the body with craftsman tools and my fist. I didn't cut at elementary school age. In fact I almost never cut unless I was totally dissociated and had no idea I had done such a thing (which only happened once). That is why I got rid of my swiss army knife on my key-ring. Self-harming in younger kids can include not eating/food restriction (anorexia)or eating and purging (bulimia) and I really think head banging is common especially when your trauma starts when you are really young. You learn at a young age and that self-harm (which I really think of as "letting out rage" or dissociative terror) allows for two things
1. You can let out the rage you feel at your parents (which you otherwise cannot do).
2. It is a huge emotional release.
Not research based just my own experiential observations.
6/11/2012 For Release: June 11, 2012
Some adolescent girls and boys intentionally hurt themselves by cutting, burning, or hitting themselves, also known as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), but new data shows that children as young as 7 are also engaging in this dangerous activity. In the study, âRates of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Youth: Age, Sex, and Behavioral Methods in a Community Sample,â 665 youth ages 7-16 were interviewed about their engagement in NSSI over their lifetime. The authors found that 53 children in third, sixth, and ninth grades had engaged in NSSI, a rate similar to early adolescents. Ninth-grade girls were three times more likely to self-injure than ninth-grade boys. Girls report cutting or carving skin, while boys were more likely to hit themselves. The study found 1.5 percent of the children interviewed experienced high levels of distress and reported engaging in NSSI at least five times over the past year, meeting partial criteria for a proposed DSM-5 psychiatric diagnosis of a NSSI disorder. According to the study authors, children engaging in NSSI tend to feel depressed, angry and consumed with negative thoughts, and the injuries can have a significant effect on academics, relationships and social functioning.
Full Text PDF http://pediatrics.aappublicati...0/1/39.full.pdf+html
6/11/2012 For Release: June 11, 2012
Some adolescent girls and boys intentionally hurt themselves by cutting, burning, or hitting themselves, also known as nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), but new data shows that children as young as 7 are also engaging in this dangerous activity. In the study, âRates of Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Youth: Age, Sex, and Behavioral Methods in a Community Sample,â 665 youth ages 7-16 were interviewed about their engagement in NSSI over their lifetime. The authors found that 53 children in third, sixth, and ninth grades had engaged in NSSI, a rate similar to early adolescents. Ninth-grade girls were three times more likely to self-injure than ninth-grade boys. Girls report cutting or carving skin, while boys were more likely to hit themselves. The study found 1.5 percent of the children interviewed experienced high levels of distress and reported engaging in NSSI at least five times over the past year, meeting partial criteria for a proposed DSM-5 psychiatric diagnosis of a NSSI disorder. According to the study authors, children engaging in NSSI tend to feel depressed, angry and consumed with negative thoughts, and the injuries can have a significant effect on academics, relationships and social functioning.
Full Text PDF http://pediatrics.aappublicati...0/1/39.full.pdf+html
I'm looking for research on elementary age kids cutting and other self-harm topics. I think elementary age kids, especially those experiencing the divorce or separation of parents do engage in self-harm albeit not to the extent of teens.
Thanks
in the American Journal of Psychiatry, Volume 148 Issue 12, December 1991, pp. 1665 - 1671
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Clinical reports suggest that many adults who engage in self- destructive behavior have childhood histories of trauma and disrupted parental care. This study explored the relations between childhood trauma, disrupted attachment, and self-destruction, using both historical and prospective data. METHOD: Seventy-four subjects with personality disorders or bipolar II disorder were followed for an average of 4 years and monitored for self-destructive behavior such as suicide attempts, self-injury, and eating disorders. These behaviors were then correlated with independently obtained self-reports of childhood trauma, disruptions of parental care, and dissociative phenomena. RESULTS: Histories of childhood sexual and physical abuse were highly significant predictors of self-cutting and suicide attempts. During follow-up, the subjects with the most severe histories of separation and neglect and those with past sexual abuse continued being self-destructive. The nature of the trauma and the subjects' age at the time of the trauma affected the character and the severity of the self-destructive behavior. Cutting was also specifically related to dissociation. CONCLUSIONS: Childhood trauma contributes to the initiation of self-destructive behavior, but lack of secure attachments helps maintain it. Patients who repetitively attempt suicide or engage in chronic self-cutting are prone to react to current stresses as a return of childhood trauma, neglect, and abandonment. Experiences related to interpersonal safety, anger, and emotional needs may precipitate dissociative episodes and self-destructive behavior.
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This is one of many studies that I believe have been conducted. Although it does not specifically address elementary aged kids, it does speak to the general phenomenon of self harm. I think the important point is that irregardless of a child's age, self harm is often attributable to sexual abuse and major trauma (such as physical and emotional abuse as well as neglect). Most of these kids also have attachment issues. So, it is generally not simply a matter of parental separation. Although that can certainly be a source of stress and trauma for a child, I believe that there is often something deeper going on that can account for the behavior.
I would also consider other methods of self harm in an elementary age kid. My self-harm was serious head banging and hitting myself in the head and other parts of the body with craftsman tools and my fist. I didn't cut at elementary school age. In fact I almost never cut unless I was totally dissociated and had no idea I had done such a thing (which only happened once). That is why I got rid of my swiss army knife on my key-ring. Self-harming in younger kids can include not eating/food restriction (anorexia)or eating and purging (bulimia) and I really think head banging is common especially when your trauma starts when you are really young. You learn at a young age and that self-harm (which I really think of as "letting out rage" or dissociative terror) allows for two things
1. You can let out the rage you feel at your parents (which you otherwise cannot do).
2. It is a huge emotional release.
Not research based just my own experiential observations.
Tina, can I quote your story about head banging in elementary school? If the answer is yes how do you want to be credited - name, profession, etc.
Thanks for the consideration
You can quote it, just say it was a pediatrician on ACEs. I really don't want my name used as I get stigmatized a lot but believe that it is important to speak the truth.
You can quote it, just say it was a pediatrician on ACEs. I really don't want my name used as I get stigmatized a lot but believe that it is important to speak the truth.
Hi Linda, I've seen some gender specific, and/or ethnic specific items on youth "self-cutting behaviors", and it may take me some time to locate them. The National Center for PTSD library-considered by many to be the world's largest collection of Traumatic Stress related publications--use a 2007 PILOTS (Published International Literature On Traumatic Stress) DATABASE USER'S GUIDE, to search their collection. My PILOTS guide is older (2001), but the "search terms" are the same: "Affected Persons", "Effects", "Assessments", etc., at:
Hope that helps......
Thanks Robert. I have finished my short blog posts but I'm keeping the information you shared. My post are mainly for children's ministers and church leaders. Most are clueless about such issues and yet they may be some of the first people that might recognize there is a problem with an elementary age children.
I'll be posting my short blog post on here shortly.
Thanks so much.
