Takahashi Masaru, Imahara Kasumi, Miyamoto Yukiko, Myojo Kayoko, Yasuda Michiko, Kadomodo Izumi
Faculty of Core Research, Ochanomizu University Tokyo Japan.
Osaka Juvenile Classification Home, Ministry of Justice Osaka Japan.
PCN Rep. 2024 Nov 5;3(4):e70033. doi: 10.1002/pcn5.70033. eCollection 2024 Dec.
Nonsuicidal self-injury is common among adolescents. Dispelling related public misconceptions is essential for creating effective prevention and intervention strategies, as these myths contribute to stigmatization. This study examined the prevalence of self-injury myths among the Japanese public and explored how demographics and personal experiences influence these beliefs.
A nationwide web-based self-report survey of 2000 Japanese adults (mean age = 44.6 ± 14.3 years) examined their agreement with 14 scientifically unsupported self-injury beliefs. Endorsement rates for each myth were calculated, and the associations between myth beliefs and other variables were explored.
Fourteen myths were analyzed, with endorsement rates of 21.0%-68.7%. Logistic regression analysis indicated that men were more likely to endorse the myth that self-injury is uncommon (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17-1.79), whereas women were more prone to myths about the rarity of self-injury, using a single method, stimulation as the exclusive purpose, wrist-cutting prevalence, and average onset age. Younger participants were more likely to believe that self-injury is solely for stimulation than other age groups. Those with human-service professional experience were more likely to view self-injury as attention-seeking compared to those without such experience (AOR = 1.62, 95% CI = 1.07-2.46). With some exceptions, individuals who expressed confidence in their ability to respond to self-injurers were more likely to endorse the myths.
These findings highlight the need for targeted educational interventions to dispel misconceptions about self-injury and improve public understanding of this complex behavior.
非自杀性自伤在青少年中很常见。消除相关的公众误解对于制定有效的预防和干预策略至关重要，因为这些误解会导致污名化。本研究调查了日本公众中自伤误解的流行情况，并探讨了人口统计学特征和个人经历如何影响这些观念。
对2000名日本成年人（平均年龄 = 44.6 ± 14.3岁）进行了一项基于网络的全国性自我报告调查，调查他们对14种无科学依据的自伤观念的认同情况。计算了每种误解的认同率，并探讨了误解观念与其他变量之间的关联。
分析了14种误解，认同率在21.0%至68.7%之间。逻辑回归分析表明，男性更有可能认同自伤不常见这一误解（调整后的优势比[AOR] = 1.45，95%置信区间[CI] = 1.17 - 1.79），而女性更容易相信关于自伤罕见性、使用单一方法、以刺激为唯一目的、割腕流行率和平均发病年龄的误解。与其他年龄组相比，年轻参与者更有可能认为自伤仅仅是为了刺激。与没有此类经验的人相比，有人类服务专业经验的人更有可能将自伤视为寻求关注（AOR = 1.62，95% CI = 1.07 - 2.46）。除了一些例外情况，对自己应对自伤者能力表示有信心的个体更有可能认同这些误解。
这些发现凸显了有针对性的教育干预措施的必要性，以消除对自伤的误解，并提高公众对这种复杂行为的理解。
