Self-Harming Behavior in Adolescent Age

The monograph examines the issue of self-harm in adolescents, a high-risk behavior in which individuals intentionally cause themselves harm. Research in this area has produced significant disparities, with experts disagreeing on the definition and methods for identifying self-harm. The specifics of its occurrence, signs, risk and protective factors, and dynamics of development or prognosis are all unclear. The monograph aims to provide basic information on self-harm, its prevalence, and forms, as well as to clarify its formation and retention as a maladaptive coping strategy. Furthermore, it presents unique data from a multi-year research project on a group of adolescents and identifies potential areas for further research.

Slávka Démuthová is a Professor of Psychology and Head of the Centre for the Psychological Counselling and Research at the Faculty of Arts, University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Slovakia. Her research is focused on developmental problems of children and youth as well as on biological/evolutionary explanations of human behaviour