ISLAMABAD, Sep 9(ABC): Digital self-harm is a behavior in which a person targets themselves online. This form of virtual self-bullying is especially common among adolescents.
A new study led by Florida Atlantic University shows a significant association between digital self-harm and suicidal ideation among teens.
The results, recently published in the journal Child and Adolescent Mental HealthTrusted Source, indicate that teens who engage in digital self-harm were 5 to 7 times more likely to report thoughts of suicide and 9 to 15 times more likely to attempt suicide. The study collected survey data from nearly 5,000 middle and high school students (ages 12–17) across the United States in 2019.
According to the researchers, no significant differences in digital self-harm behaviors and suicidal ideation or attempt were observed between races.
However, study findings indicate non-heterosexual students were more likely to have engaged in digital self-harm than their heterosexual peers (9.7% versus 4.8%, respectively). Non-heterosexual individuals were also more likely to have had serious suicidal thoughts or attempts than their heterosexual classmates.
Understanding digital self-harm
Study co-author Sameer Hinduja, PhD, co-director of the Cyberbullying Research Center and professor of criminology at Florida Atlantic University, told Healthline that digital self-harm is defined as the “anonymous online posting, sending, or otherwise sharing of hurtful content about oneself.”
“[It] occurs when an individual creates an anonymous online account on a major platform — typically one their peers are using as well,” Hinduja added.
Once the anonymous account is created, Hinduja said the individual “uses that anonymous account to publicly send hateful, threatening, or humiliating messages or threats to one’s self.”
This means while their peers will likely see the posts, they will have no idea who is actually behind them.
“Most posts are on forums or social media,” Christopher Hansen, PhD, a licensed professional counselor and clinical supervisor at Thriveworks in San Antonio, told Healthline.
Digital self-harm posts are a form of psychological bullying. Examples may include:
• “You’re stupid and will never amount to anything.”
• “You’ve got no friends, and your family hates you.”
• “Nobody will ever date you because you’re so ugly.”
• “If you weren’t here, nobody would miss you.”
Digital self-harm is on the rise
Teens spend an average of 9 hours each day online — and that’s not including time spent doing schoolwork. The proliferation of social media platforms has created myriad opportunities for digital self-harm.
Hinduja said that he and study co-author Justin Patchin, PhD, have been studying digital self-harm since 2013 and published the first empirical study on the subject in 2017. At the time of the study, Hinduja said the percentage of adolescents who had engaged in digital self-harm in 2016 was around 6%.
Just 3 years later, their 2019 dataset shows that this figure increased to almost 9%.
While the present study showed no difference in digital self-harm rates in males compared to females, Hinduja and Patchin’s prior research shows that males are more likely to engage in this behavior.
The number of teens experiencing serious suicidal thoughts is also on the rise. According to research organization Child Trends, suicidal ideation was around 14% in 2009 and had increased to 17% by 2017.
Despite the new research affirming a link between digital self-harm and suicidal tendencies, the reason behind it is less clear.