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Identifying high-risk subgroups for self-harm in adolescents and young adults: A longitudinal latent class analysis of risk factors
Date
2024
Abstract
Background: Self-harm is a major public health concern in young people and is governed by a complex interaction of different risk factors. While many studies have identified these risk factors, less is known about how they tend to co-occur together. Methods: A latent class analysis was conducted using risk factors for self-harm from two waves at ages 13 and 17 from the Growing Up in Ireland (GUI) study their associations with self-harm were examined longitudinally at ages 17 and 20, respectively. Results: At age 13, there was a ‘peer problems’ group with higher probabilities of bullying, being unpopular and internalising problems and a ‘school and substance use problems’ group with higher probabilities of substance use, truancy or excessive absence from school and violence. Both of these two groups had over a two-fold risk of self-harm at age 17 in comparison to the low risk factor group. At age 17, there was a group with depression that was diagnosed by a medical professional with the highest relative risk (RR:13.9 (95 % CI 10.2–19.0)) of self-harm at age 20. Two other groups with undiagnosed depression had high probabilities of being bullied, and either high or low probabilities of substance use that had a 9.4 (95 % CI 6.8–13.1) and 7.4 (95 % CI 5.5–10.0) relative risk of self-harm at age 20, respectively. Conclusions: Identifying hidden sub-groups using risk factors for self-harm in young people can inform potential public health interventions by clinicians and other professionals who work with young people.
Supervisor
Description
Publisher
Elsevier
Citation
Journal of Affective Disorders 351, pp. 40-48
Files
Funding code
Funding Information
Health Research Board (HRB) Ireland as part of the SPHeRE Programme