Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
Volume 22, Issue 4 , Pages 180-189 , August 2008

Perspectives of Mental Health Professionals and Patients on Self-Injury in Psychiatry: A Literature Review

  • Maartje Bosman

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress reprint requests to Maartje Bosman, RN, MSc, Institute for Advanced Studies and Applied Research, Research Group “Best Practice in Mental Health Nursing,” INHOLLAND University, PO Box 403, 1800 AK Alkmaar, The Netherlands.
  • ,
  • Berno van Meijel

References 

  1. Antai-Otong D. Treatment considerations for the patient with borderline personality disorder. Nursing Clinics of North America. 2003;38(1):101–109
  2. Barker P. The Tidal Model: Psychiatric colonization, recovery and the paradigm shift in mental health care. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 2003;12:96–102
  3. Barr W, Leitner M, Thomas J. Short shrift for the sane? The hospital management of self-harm patients with and without mental illness. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2004;112:401–406
  4. Bateman A, Fonagy P. Effectiveness of partial hospitalization in the treatment of borderline personality disorder: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Psychiatry. 1999;156:1563–1569
  5. Bateman A, Fonagy P. Treatment of borderline personality disorder with psychoanalytically oriented partial hospitalization: An 18 month follow-up. American Journal of Psychiatry. 2001;158:36–42
  6. Batty D. Coping by cutting. Neurological Development from Birth to Six Years. 1998;12(9):25–27
  7. Bennewith O, Stocks N, Gunnell D, Peters TJ, Evans ME, Scharp DJ. General practice based intervention to prevent repeat episodes of deliberate self harm: Cluster randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal. 2002;324(7348):1254–1257
  8. Binks CA, Fenton M, McCarthy L, Lee T, Adams CE, Duggan C. Psychological therapies for people with borderline personality disorder (Review). Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2006;2006 Jan 25; (1): CD005652. Review
  9. In:  Boevink W,  Escher S editor. Zelfverwonding begrijpelijk maken. Ervaringsdeskundigen, onderzoekers en therapeuten aan het woordBemelen: Stichting Positieve Gezondheidszorg; 2001;
  10. Bohne A, Keuthen N, Wilhelm S. Pathologic hairpulling, skin picking, and nail biting. Annals of Clinical Psychiatry. 2005;17(4):227–232
  11. Bohus M, Haaf B, Simms T, Linberger M, Schmahl C, Unckel C, et al. Effectiveness of inpatient dialectical behavioral therapy for borderline personality disorder: A controlled trial. Behavior Research & Therapy. 2004;42:487–500
  12. Bowers L, Gourney K, Duffy D. Suicide and self-harm in inpatient psychiatric units: A national survey of observation policies. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2000;32:437–445
  13. Bowles N, Mackintosh C, Torn A. Nurses' communication skills: An evaluation of the impact of solution-focused communication training. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2001;36(3):347–354
  14. Bracke D, van Leeuwen K, Verhofstadt-Denève L. Comorbiditeit van zelfverwondend gedrag en dissociatieve symptomen bij vrouwelijke psychiatrische patiënten (Co-morbidity of self-injury and dissociative symptoms of female psychiatric patients), Tijdschrift voor Psychiatrie. 2001;43(10):673–682
  15. Briere J, Gil E. Self-mutilation in clinical and general population samples: Prevalence, correlates, and functions. American Journal of Orthopsychiatry. 1998;68(4):609–620
  16. Broers E, De Lange J. Hulpverlening bij zelfverwonding in de psychiatrie. Achtergronden, verpleegprocessen en keuzen in de zorg (Assistance and care with regard to self-injury in psychiatry. Backgrounds, nursing processes and decision-making), Utrecht: Trimbos-instituut; 1998;
  17. Bywaters P, Rolfe A. Look beyond the scars. Understanding and responding to self-injury and self-harm. London: NCH; 2002;Available from www.nchafc.org.uk/downloads/selfharm.pdf
  18. Callanghan P. Exercise: A neglected intervention in mental health care?. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2004;11:476–483
  19. Claes, L. (2004). Self-injury in eating disorders. Thesis. Catholic University, Leuven, Belgium.
  20. Claes L, Vandereycken W, Vertommen H. Eating-disordered patients with and without self-injurious behaviours: A comparison of psychopathological features. European Eating Disorders Review. 2003;11:379–396
  21. Claes L, Vandereycken W, Vertommen H. Zorgelijke preoccupaties en zelfverwonding (Distressing preoccupations and self-injury), Directieve Therapie. 2005;2:114–123Available from www.dth.bsl.nl/dth
  22. Clarke T, Baker P, Watts C, Williams K, Feldman R, Sherr L. Self-harm in adults: A randomized controlled trial of nurse-led case management versus routine care only. Journal of Mental Health. 2002;11(2):167–176
  23. Comtois KA. A review of interventions to reduce the prevalence of parasuicide. Psychiatric Services. 2002;53:1138–1144
  24. Congdon P, Clarke T. Assessing intervention effects in a community-based trial to reduce self-harm: A methodological case study. Public Health. 2005;199:1011–1015
  25. Cook NR, Phillips BN, Sadler D. The Tidal Model as experienced by patients and nurses in a regional forensic unit. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2005;12:536–540
  26. Cook S, Clancy C, Sanderson S. Self-harm and suicide: Care, interventions and policy. Nursing Standard. 2004;18(43):43–55
  27. Corser R, Ebanks L. Introducing a nurse-led clinic for patients who self-harm. Journal of Wound Care. 2004;13(5):167–170
  28. Cresswell M. Psychiatric ‘survivors’ and testimonies of self-harm. Social Science & Medicine. 2005;61:1668–1677
  29. Crowe M. Cutting up: Signifying the unspeakable. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 1996;5:103–111
  30. Crowe M, Bunclark J. Repeated self-injury and its management. International Review of Psychiatry. 2000;12:48–53
  31. Deckersbach T, Wilhelm S, Keuthen N. Self-injurious skin picking: Clinical characteristics, assessment methods, and treatment modalities. Brief Treatment and Crisis Intervention. 2003;3(2):249–259
  32. Deegan G. Discovering recovery. Psychiatric Rehabilitation Journal. 2003;26:368–375
  33. Deiter PJ, Nicholls SS, Pearlman LA. Self-injury and self capacities: Assisting an individual in crisis. Journal of Clinical Psychology. 2000;56:1173–1191
  34. Drew BL. Self-harm behavior and no-suicide contracting in psychiatric inpatient settings. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2001;15(3):99–106
  35. Duffy DF. Self-injury. Psychiatry. 2006;5(8):263–265
  36. Evans MO, Morgan HG, Hayward A. Crisis telephone consultation for deliberate self-harm patients: How the study groups used the telephone and usual health-care services. Journal of Mental Health. 2000;9:155–164
  37. Evans MO, Morgan HG, Hayward A, Gunnell DJ. Crisis telephone consultation for deliberate self-harm patients: Effects on repetition. British Journal of Psychiatry. 2000;175:23–27
  38. Faulkner G, Biddle S. Mental health nursing and the promotion of physical activity. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2002;9:659–665
  39. Gallop R. Failure of the capacity for self-soothing in women who have a history of abuse and self-harm. Journal of the American Psychiatric Nurses Association. 2002;8(1):20–26
  40. Gingerich WJ, Eisengart S. Solution-focused brief therapy: A review of the outcome research. Family Process. 2000;39(4):477–497
  41. Goldney R. Manual assisted cognitive behaviour therapy is as effective as treatment as usual for deliberate self-harm, but is more cost effective. Evidence-Based Mental Health. 2004;7(1):15
  42. Gratz K. Risk factors for and functions of deliberate self-harm: An empirical and conceptual review. Clinical Psychology: Science and Practice. 2003;10(2):192–205
  43. Gratz KL, Gunderson JG. Preliminary data on an acceptance-based emotion regulation group intervention for deliberate self-harm among women with borderline personality disorder. Behavior Therapy. 2006;37:25–35
  44. Harris J. Self-harm: Cutting the bad out of me. Qualitative Health Research. 2000;10:164–173
  45. Hawton K, Haw C, Houston K, Townsend E. Family history of suicidal behavior: Prevalence and significance in deliberate self-harm patients. Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica. 2002;106:387–393
  46. Hawton K, Townsend E, Arensman E, Gunnell D, Hazell P, House A, et al. Psychosocial and pharmacological treatments for deliberate self harm (Cochrane Review). The Cochrane Library. 2004;2
  47. Himber J. Blood rituals: Self-cutting in female psychiatric inpatients. Psychotherapy. 1994;31:620–630
  48. Huband N, Tantam D. Clinical management of women who self-wound: A survey of mental health professionals' preferred strategies. Journal of Mental Health. 1999;8:473–488
  49. Huband N, Tantam D. Attitudes to self-injury within a group of mental health staff. British Journal of Medical Psychology. 2000;73:495–504
  50. Huband N, Tantam D. Repeated self-wounding: Women's recollection of pathways to cutting and of the value of different interventions. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. 2004;77:413–428
  51. Isacsson G, Rich CL. Management of patients who deliberately harm themselves. British Medical Journal. 2001;322:213–215
  52. Iveson C. Solution-focused brief therapy. Advances in Psychiatric Treatment. 2002;8:149–156
  53. James A. From self-harm…to self-esteem. Nursing Times. 2003;99(33):36–37
  54. Johnstone L. Self-injury and the psychiatric response. Feminism & Psychology. 1997;7:421–426
  55. Jones J, Thomas-Peter B, Unton D. Research methods in clinical investigation: A case study analysis of medication levels and self-harm. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 1998;5:463–468
  56. Kapur N, House A, May C, Creed F. Service provision and outcome for deliberate self-poisoning in adults. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2003;38:390–395
  57. Knapen J, van de Vliet P, Van Coppenolle H, David A, Peuskens J, Pietersen G, et al. Improvements in physical fitness of non-psychotic psychiatric patients following psychomotor therapy programs. Journal of Sports Medicine & Physical Fitness. 2003;43(4):513–522
  58. Knapen J, van de Vliet P, Van Coppenolle H, David A, Peuskens J, Pietersen G, et al. Comparison of changes in physical self-concept, global self-esteem, depression and anxiety following two different psychomotor therapy programs in nonpsychotic psychiatric inpatients. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 2005;74(6):353–361
  59. Kocalevent R, Fliege H, Rose M, Walter M, Danzer G, Klapp B. Autodestructive syndromes. Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. 2005;74:202–211
  60. Laidlaw Solutions . Anti-ligature design reduces patients' risk. Health Estate. 2005;59(10):58–59
  61. Lewis TF, Osborn CJ. Solution-focused counselling and motivational interviewing: A consideration of confluence. Journal of Counselling & Development. 2004;82:38–48
  62. Lieb K, Zanarini MC, Linehan MM, Bohus M. Borderline personality disorder. Lancet. 2004;364:453–461
  63. Lindgren B, Wilstrand C, Gilje F, Olofsson B. Struggling for hopefulness: A qualitative study of Swedish women who self-harm. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2004;11:284–291
  64. Loughrey L, Jackson J, Molla P, Wobbleton J. Patient self-mutilation: When nursing becomes a nightmare. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing. 1997;35:30–34
  65. Marchetto M. Repetitive skin-cutting: Parental bonding, personality and gender. Psychology and Psychotherapy: Theory, Research and Practice. 2006;79:445–459
  66. McAllister M. Dissociative identity disorder: A literature review. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2000;7:25–33
  67. McAllister M. In harm's way: A postmodern narrative inquiry. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2001;8:391–397
  68. McAllister M. Multiple meanings of self harm: A critical review. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 2003;12:177–185
  69. McAllister M. Doing practice differently: Solution-focused nursing. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2003;41(6):528–535
  70. McAllister M, Creedy D, Moyle W, Farrugia C. Nurses' attitudes towards clients who self-harm. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2002;40:578–587
  71. McAllister M, Higson D, McIntosh W, O'Leary S, Hargreaves L, Murrell L, et al. Dissociative identity disorder and the nurse–patients relationship in the acute care setting: An action research study. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 2001;10:20–32
  72. McAllister M, Matarasso B, Dixon B, Shepperd C. Conversation starters: Re-examining and reconstructing first encounters within the therapeutic relationship. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2004;11:575–582
  73. McAndrew S, Warne T. Cutting across boundaries: A case study using feminist praxis to understand the meanings of self-harm. International Journal of Mental Health Nursing. 2005;14(3):172–180
  74. McAuliffe C, Corcoran P, Keeley HS, Arensman E, Bille-brahe U, de Leo D, et al. Problem-solving ability and repetition of deliberate self-harm: A multicentre study. Psychological Medicine. 2006;36:45–55
  75. McCue RE, Urcuyo L, Lilu Y, Tobias T, Chambers MJ. Reducing restraint use in a public psychiatric inpatient service. Journal of Behavioural Health Services & Research. 2004;31(2):217–224
  76. Meyer T, Broocks A. Therapeutic impact of exercise on psychiatric diseases. Guidelines for exercise testing and prescription. Sports Medicine. 2000;30(4):269–279
  77. Milnes D, Owens D, Blenkiron P. Problems reported by self-harm patients. Perception, hopelessness, and suicidal intent. Journal of Psychosomatic Research. 2002;53:819–822
  78. Newton J, Parry-Crooke G. Women patients' views of secure psychiatric services. Nursing Times. 2002;98:40–42
  79. Nijman H, Campo J. Situational determinants of inpatient self-harm. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 2002;32(2):167–175
  80. Noll JG, Horowitz LA, Bonanno GA, Trickett P, Putman F. Revictimization and self-harm in females who experienced childhood sexual abuse. Journal of Interpersonal Violence. 2003;18(12):1452–1471
  81. Nordby H. Nurse–patient communication: Language mastery and concept possession. Nursing Inquiry. 2006;13(1):64–72
  82. O'Donovan A, Gijbels H. Understanding psychiatric nursing care with nonsuicidal self-harming patients in acute psychiatric admission units: The views of psychiatric nurses. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2006;20(4):186–192
  83. O'Loughlin S, Sherwood J. A 20-year review of trends in deliberate self-harm in a British town, 1981–2000. Social Psychiatry and Psychiatric Epidemiology. 2005;40(6):446–453
  84. Osuch EA, Noll JG, Putman FW. The motivations for self-injury in psychiatric inpatients. Psychiatry. 1999;62:334–347
  85. Parker G, Malhi G, Mitchell P, Kotze B, Wilhelm K, Parker K. Self-harming in depressed patients: Pattern analysis. Australian and New Zealand Journal of Psychiatry. 2005;39(10):899–907
  86. Perseius K, Öjehagen A, Ekdahl S. Treatment of suicidal and deliberate self-harming patients with borderline personality disorder using dialectical behavioral therapy: The patients' and the therapists' perceptions. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2003;17(5):218–227
  87. Potter ML, Dawson AM. From safety contract to safety agreement. Journal of Psychosocial Nursing. 2001;39(8):38–45
  88. Potter N. Commodity/body/sign: Borderline personality disorder and the signification of self-injurious behaviour. Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology. 2003;10(1):1–16Available from http://muse.jhu.edu
  89. Rayner GC, Allen SL, Johnson M. Countertransference and self-injury: A cognitive behavioural cycle. Journal of Advanced Nursing. 2005;50(1):12–19
  90. Reece J. The language of cutting: Initial reflections on a study of the experiences of self-injury in a group of women and nurses. Issues in Mental Health Nursing. 2005;26:561–574
  91. Reynolds WJ, Scott B. Empathy: A crucial component of the helping relationship. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 1999;6:363–370
  92. Richardson C. Self-harm: Understanding the causes and treatment options. Nursing Times. 2004;100:24–25
  93. Rodriquez-Srednicki O. Childhood sexual abuse, dissociation, and adult self-destructive behavior. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse. 2001;10:75–90
  94. Ruths FA, Tobiansky RI, Blanchard M. Deliberate self-harm (DSH) among older people: A retrospective study in Barnet, North London. International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry. 2005;20(2):106–112
  95. Saxe GN, Chaawla MA, van der Kolk B. Self-destructive behavior in patients with dissociative disorders. Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior. 2002;32(2):313–320
  96. Schoppmann S. “Dann habe ich ihr einfach meine Arme hingehalten.” Selbstverletzendes Verhalten aus der Perspektive der Betroffenen (Self-injury seen from the perspective of the patients), Bern, Göttingen: Verlag Hans Huber; 2003;
  97. Shaw SN. Shifting conversations on girls' and women's self-injury: An analysis of the clinical literature in historical context. Feminism & Psychology. 2002;12(2):191–219
  98. Smith SE. Perceptions of service provision for clients who self-injure in the absence of expressed suicidal intent. Journal of Psychiatric and Mental Health Nursing. 2002;9:595–601
  99. Solano R, Fernández-Aranda F, Aitken A, López C, Vallejo J. Self-injurious behaviour in people with eating disorders. European Eating Disorders Review. 2005;13:3–10
  100. Stalker CA, Levene JE, Coady NF. Solution-focused brief therapy—One model fits all?. Families in Society: The Journal of Contemporary Human Services. 1999;80(5):468–477
  101. Stevenson C, Fletcher E. The Tidal Model: The questions answered. Mental Health Practice. 2002;5(8):29–38
  102. Tameling A, Sachsse U. Symptomkomplex, Traumaprävalenz und Körperbild von psychisch Kranken mit selbtverletzendem Verhalten (SVV) (Symptom complex, trauma-prevention and body-image of psychiatric patients with self-injurious behaviour), Psychotherapie Psychosomatik Medizinische Psychologie. 1996;46:61–67
  103. Taylor B. Exploring the perspectives of men who self-harm. Learning in Health and Social Care. 2003;2(2):83–91
  104. Townsend E, Hawton K, Altman DG, Arensman E, Gunnell D, Hazell P, et al. The efficacy of problem-solving treatments after deliberate self-harm: Meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials with respect to depression, hopelessness and improvement in problems. Psychological Medicine. 2001;31:979–988
  105. Tyrer P, Jones V, Thompson S, Catalan J, Schmidt U, Davidson K, et al. Service variation in baseline variables and prediction of risk in a randomised controlled trial of psychological treatment in repeated parasuicide: The POPMACT study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry. 2003;49:58–69
  106. van de Vliet P, Knapen J, Fox KR, Onghena P, David A, Probst M, et al. Changes in psychological well-being in female patients with clinically diagnosed depression: An exploratory approach in a therapeutic setting. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 2003;8(4):399–408
  107. Vandereycken W. Aanpak zelfverwondend gedrag bij psychiatrische patiënten (Treatment of self-injurious behaviour of psychiatric patients), Psychopraxis. 2001;3(3):94–98
  108. Verheul R, van den Bosch LM, Koeter MW, de Ridder MA, Stijnen T, Van den Brink W. Dialectical behaviour therapy for women with borderline personality disorder: 12-Month, randomised clinical trial in The Netherlands. The British Journal of Psychiatry. 2003;182:135–140
  109. Warm A, Murray C, Fox J. Why do people self-harm?. Psychology, Health & Medicine. 2003;8:71–79
  110. Weber MT. Triggers for self-abuse: A qualitative study. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 2002;16:118–124
  111. Webster D, Vaugh K, Martinez R. Introducing solution-focused approaches to staff in inpatient psychiatric settings. Archives of Psychiatric Nursing. 1994;8(4):254–261
  112. Wiederman MW, Sansone RA, Sansone LA. Bodily self-harm and its relationship to childhood abuse among women in a primary care setting. Violence Against Women. 1999;5(2):155–163
  113. Zlotnick C, Mattia J, Zimmerman M. Clinical correlates of self-mutilation in a sample of general psychiatric patients. Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease. 1999;187:296–301
  114. Zlotnick C, Shea MT, Pearlstein T, Simpson E, Costello E, Begin A. The relationship between dissociative symptoms alexithymia, impulsivity, sexual abuse and self mutilation. Comprehensive Psychiatry. 1996;37:12–16

PII: S0883-9417(08)00026-5

doi: 10.1016/j.apnu.2007.07.006

Archives of Psychiatric Nursing
Volume 22, Issue 4 , Pages 180-189 , August 2008