Risk and protective factors for self-harm in secure mental health hospitals: a systematic review

Risk and protective factors for self-harm in secure mental health hospitals: a systematic review Lisa Maria Beethoven Steene, Lisa Gaylor, Jane L. Ireland Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research, Vol. ahead-of-print, No. ahead-of-print, pp.- The current review aims to focus on how risk and protective factors for self-harm in secure mental health hospitals are captured in the literature.Fifty-seven articles were included in a systematic review, drawn from an initial 1,119 articles, post duplicate removal. Databases included Psycinfo, Psycarticles, Psycnet, Web of Science and EBSCO host. A thematic analysis was used, which included a meta-ethnographic approach for considering qualitative papers.There was a clear focus on risk factors, with eight identified (in order of occurrence): raised emotional reactivity and poor emotion regulation; poor mental health; traumatic experiences; personality disorder diagnosis and associated traits; increased use of outward aggression – dual harm; constraints of a secure environment and lack of control; previous self-harm and suicide attempts; and hopelessness. Protective factors featured less, resulting in only three themes emerging (in order of occurrence): positive social support and communication; positive coping skills; and hope/positive outlook.This includes a proposal to move focus away from “risk” factors, to incorporate “needs”, in terms of individual and environmental factors. There is also a need for more attenti...
Source: Journal of Aggression, Conflict and Peace Research - Category: Criminology Authors: Source Type: research