The Relationship Between Attachment and Self-Injurious Behaviors in the Child and Adolescent Population: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract

Adolescents have high rates of self-injurious behavior (SIB), with suicide being the second leading cause of death. A consistent relationship between individual attachment and SIB was previously found in adult population; however, no such review has been undertaken for the child and adolescent population. A systematic search of PubMED, OVID, and PsychINFO up to March 31, 2020 was performed. Twenty-two articles met the inclusion criteria. Of the 22 articles, 21 found a positive association between attachment insecurity and SIB. Our results show a consistent relationship between attachment insecurity and SIB in children and adolescents, complementing the results found in the adult literature. These findings make a case for preventive strategies aimed at reducing self-injurious behaviors in youth by targeting attachment security.

Keywords:

• Attachment
• child and adolescent psychiatry
• non-suicidal self-injury
• risk factor
• suicide

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

The authors declare no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan Intramural Research Award.

Notes on contributors

Jennifer Woo

Jennifer Woo, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan (Regina Campus), Regina, SK, Canada.

Andrew J. Wrath

Andrew J. Wrath and G. Camelia Adams, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.

G. Camelia Adams

Andrew J. Wrath and G. Camelia Adams, Department of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada.