THE IDENTIFICATION OF SELF-INFLICTED INJURIES IN CHILDHOOD AND ADOLESCENCE

Abstract

This article presents a literature review on the behavior of self-harm in children and adolescents, with the objective of identifying the associated factors and characteristics of this growing phenomenon. Self-injury, defined as any deliberate behavior that results in harm to one's own body without intent to commit suicide, has been widely studied in recent years due to the increase in its incidence among young people. The research addressed articles and studies published between 1981 and 2023, exploring the causes, risk factors, and the most effective interventions. The virtual libraries "SCIELO and PubMed" were used using the keywords "Suicide Attempt AND", "Suicide AND Children", "Suicide Attempt AND Children", "Child AND Suicide", Injury AND Auto", "Injury AND Auto Provoked", "Injury AND Auto AND Provoked AND Children", "Childhood AND Adolescence AND Suicide", "Adolescent AND Suicide". The analysis of the studies revealed the relevance of psychosocial interventions and therapies based on emotional regulation, which showed efficacy in reducing these behaviors. However, the article points to the need for more research in the Brazilian context, due to the scarcity of national data and the social stigma that still surrounds the topic. It is concluded that self-injury in children and adolescents should be treated as an important indicator of psychological distress, requiring a multidisciplinary and preventive approach to reduce damage and improve the quality of life of young people. One of the most predominant social factors for self-harm in children and adolescents is bullying, which causes great suffering and emotional damage to those who suffer such an act. Bullying can occur in different ways: verbal, physical, social or electronic, the latter known as cyberbullying.Keywords: self-inflicted injury; children; adolescents; Psychosocial.