"Deliberate self-harm is common amongst teenagers in England, especially in girls," said Dr Karen Rodham, of the psychology department at Bath University. Prof Keith Hawton, from the Centre for Suicide Research at Oxford University added that there needed to be concrete steps to control this problem.
"In many cases, self-harming behaviour represents a transient period of distress, but for others it is an important indicator of mental health problems and risk of suicide. It is important that we develop effective school-based initiatives that tackle what has become a most pressing health issue for teenagers," he said.
This study is published in a book, By Their Own Young Hand. Self-harm was seen more in teenagers who had been bullied.
