A Victoria University researcher has found concerns over sexuality are one of the reasons Wellington youth self-harm. Dr Jessica Garisch, who graduated with a PhD in Psychology from Victoria last month, studied deliberate self-harm among Wellington secondary school and university students, finding one in ten young people deliberately self-harm. She found concerns over sexuality, low self-esteem and having family member who self-harm were big factors. Dr Garisch researched self-harm behaviours that are not typically lethal, surveying more than 2,000 students aged 16 to 19, doing a diary study and interviewing guidance counsellors around the region. "Of the youth studied, a third to half of the students had tried self-harm in the past or had thought about it, and currently 12 percent were engaging in self-harming behaviour." Dr Garisch says understanding there are lots of different reasons behind self-harm behaviour and increasing knowledge of the issue is vital. "When I asked teachers about how they reacted to the behaviour, they didn't know how to respond. Stereotypes of those who self-harm are also major barriers in stopping students talking about the problem." Dr Garisch plans to visit secondary schools in the Wellington region which are interested in learning more about the outcomes of her research. GayNZ.com Daily News is seeking to speak to Dr Garisch further about her research.
Credit: GayNZ.com Daily News staff
First published: Monday, 17th January 2011 - 1:27pm