Representations of non-suicidal self-injury in motion pictures.

Publisher: Informa Healthcare Country of Publication: England NLM ID: 9504451 Publication Model: Print Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 1543-6136 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 13811118 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Arch Suicide Res Subsets: MEDLINE

Publication: London : Informa Healthcare
Original Publication: Dordrecht ; Boston : Kluwer Academic Publishers, c1995-

Imitative Behavior* ; Motion Pictures* ; Self-Injurious Behavior* ; Stereotyping*; Humans ; Impulsive Behavior ; Mental Disorders ; Risk Factors ; Social Perception ; Substance-Related Disorders ; Suicide

The aim of this study was to investigate representations of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in popular media. Forty-one motion pictures were viewed, coded, and analyzed. NSSI was correlated with mental illness, child maltreatment, and substance abuse. NSSI was generally portrayed as severe, habitual and covert. Further, depictions of NSSI were often sensationalized and featured prominently. NSSI was less likely to be associated with completed suicide than other psychological factors, but more closely associated with suicide than NSSI is in the community. Although NSSI was associated with psychiatric illness, few characters were receiving psychiatric care at the time of NSSI. However a significant proportion received support after engaging in NSSI. The portrayal of NSSI is generally accurate regarding correlates and function, but is inaccurately associated with suicide. Implications of the relatively accurate portrayal of NSSI are discussed in light of the potential for imitation, and the possibility of using cinematherapy to promote effective problem resolution.

Date Created: 20100130 Date Completed: 20100409 Latest Revision: 20171116

20231215

10.1080/13811110903479110

20112147