Year: 2026
Type: review
Study design: Systematic Review
Abstract: Self-harming behavior is a common phenomenon observed during adolescence. The existing literature indicates that such behaviors are frequently observed among adolescents worldwide and can manifest at varying levels across different cultures and communities. Various motivations contribute to the emergence of self-harming behavior during this developmental stage. The aim of this study is to examine the motivations influencing self-harm behaviors during adolescence using a current and systematic approach. To this end, Turkish and English publications available in specific databases were reviewed. The results of the study revealed that, in the existing literature, the motivations behind self-harm behaviors in adolescents have been examined based on the adolescents’ own thoughts and responses and addressed from certain perspectives. These findings indicate that examining the underlying motivations of adolescents’ self-harm behaviors plays a critical role in developing preventive measures in this area. When local and global statistics on self-harm are also examined, it is assessed that investigating the underlying motivations of self-harm behaviors in adolescents in future national studies will make significant contributions to preventing adolescents from engaging in such behaviors. In this context, it is believed that a more in-depth and multidimensional examination of the relationship between adolescents’ emotion regulation skills, interpersonal relationships, and coping strategies and their self-harm behaviors is necessary.
DOI: 10.18863/pgy.1861294
Authors: Ayşe Belgin Aksoy, Sırma Aydın Nakaş
Institution: Gazi University
Language: Turkish
Subfield: Clinical Psychology
Field: Psychology
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7224993080