Pattern of Adolescent Self-Cutting in Hong Kong: Reports from School Social Workers

ABSTRACT

This is a report of a study on the self-cutting pattern of adolescents in Hong Kong. This is a mini-scale study involving social workers working in thirty secondary schools. By means of an open-end questionnaire, they had to report various nature of self-cutting cases reported in their own schools. The finding showed that self-cutting was commonly found in secondary schools in Hong Kong. Most of the adolescents self-cutting behaviours were female, and in Year 8 and Year 9. They were repeated cutters by cutting lines on wrist. They cut themselves because of releasing suppressed negative emotions because of interpersonal conflicts with peers, in family and in courtship. Different response from parents, teachers and peers. School social workers intervention were explored. Implications of findings to intervention with adolescents' self-cutting are also discussed.