Correlates of self-harm in university students: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objective: To determine the prevalence of university students who have ever engaged in self-harm and to examine its correlates. Frequency of thinking about self-harm was explored as a secondary outcome. Participants: Students at Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. Methods: This cross-sectional study was completed via an online questionnaire. Logistic regressions assessed the influence of sociodemographic and behavioral factors associated with lifetime self-harm and thoughts about self-harm. Results: The sample consisted of 2626 university students. Almost 25% engaged in self-harm in their lifetime and close to 33% have thought about harming themselves. A non-straight sexual orientation, marijuana use, prescription drugs not prescribed, and mental health problems increased the risk of both outcomes. Females were over two times more likely to engage in self-harm than males. Conclusion: This study provides evidence that is needed for developing effective interventions to reduce the risk of self-harm by targeting university students who are most at-risk.

Keywords:

• Mental health
• risk-taking
• self-harm
• substance use
• university

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements of Canada and received approval from the Non-Medical Research Ethics Board at Western University.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.