Abstract

JORGE, Joana Calejo; QUEIROS, Otília  and  SARAIVA, Joana. Descodificação dos comportamentos autolesivos sem intenção suicida: Estudo qualitativo das funções e significados na adolescência. Aná. Psicológica [online]. 2015, vol.33, n.2, pp.207-219. ISSN 0870-8231.  https://doi.org/10.14417/ap.991.

“Decoding” “non suicidal self-injury” - a qualitative study of its functions and meanings in adolescence Non suicidal self-injury should be seen as a way of expression of a conflict or experiential difficulty of adolescents and therefore they require a close “decoding”. This qualitative study intends to understand the meanings and functions underlying these behaviors in a clinical sample of adolescents. The sample consisted of 25 participants, recruited from the adolescence outpatient clinic of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, at the Oporto Medical Centre. The content analysis revealed the existence of intrapsychic and interpersonal functions and the behaviors service more than one function in most cases. These may be framed in different theoretical explanatory models, and it is possible to identify the prevalence of relief functions of emotional tension and attempted escape/removal, both belonging to the emotional adjustment model, and interpersonal functions, framed in Environmental model. Although exploratory, these findings tend to support existing research, pointing out, however, at some specifications. It shows also the importance of careful and comprehensive assessment of these behaviors in order to improve their treatment.

Keywords : Non suicidal self-injury; Adolescence; Functions; Meanings.

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