Self Harm High in Goth Youths
April 14, 2006
(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Teenagers who are part of the Goth subculture have a high rate of deliberately harming themselves and attempting suicide, according to new research.
The study, from the University of Glasgow in Scotland, surveyed 1,258 youths at age 11, then again at 13, 15 and 19. Researchers found those who belonged to the Goth subculture were strongly associated with a lifetime prevalence of self-harm (53 percent) and attempted suicide (47 percent).
Deliberate self-harm has rates of 7 percent to 14 percent among young people in the United Kingdom. Researchers analyzed 14 other common youth subcultures and found some of them were also linked to self harm, but the association was strongest for Goth. They describe Goth as a dark and sinister subgenre of punk with distinctive clothing, makeup and music tastes.
"Since our study found that more reported self-harm before, rather than after, becoming a Goth, this suggests that young people with a tendency to self-harm are attracted to the Goth subculture," says lead researcher Robert Young. "Rather than posing a risk, it's also possible that by belonging to this subculture young people are gaining valuable social and emotional support from their peers."
Michael van Beinum, Ph.D., a consultant child and adolescent psychiatrist and advisor to the study, adds, "Adults helping young people in difficulty need to be aware that those who clearly identify with Goth subculture may also be self-harming and may benefit from learning further coping mechanisms to help them overcome inner distress. Further provision of mental health services for all young people is urgently required."
Researchers say since their study was small, further research is needed to confirm their results.
SOURCE: British Medical Journal, published online April 13, 2006
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, who offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, go to: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.