To Örebro University

In this longitudinal study we examined some risk factors within the family environment that increase the likelihood to engage in self-harming behaviors during adolescence. Specifically, we answered three questions. First: “Which among different indicators of emotional abuse, namely parents’ bad reaction to disclosure, coldness/reaction and angry outburst is the strongest predictor of self-harm?”. Second: “When comparing the strongest emotional abuse factor and physical abuse, which is the strongest predictor of self-harm?”. Third: “Are there any gender differences in how the strongest emotional abuse factor and physical abuse influence self-harm?”. To answer these questions we used data from 1002 Swedish adolescents at two different time points (T1 and T2). Through the use of regression analyses, the results suggested that: 1) In the examination of emotional abuse, parents’ bad reactions to disclosure is the strongest predictor of self-harm. 2) In the comparison between the strongest emotional abuse factor and physical abuse, parents’ bad reactions to disclosure is the strongest risk factor for the occurrence of self-harm. 3) Specifically, the link between parents’ bad reaction to disclosure and physical abuse in self-harm was true for girls but not boys. These results strengthen and determines gaps in previous theories and research findings regarding the risk factors for the occurrence of self-harm among adolescents, increasing the knowledge of where to focus to prevent self-harm in future research.