Correlates and predictors of self-harm in a prospective sample of sexually assaulted adolescents

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sexual assault of adolescents is associated with negative mental health outcomes, including self-harm. Little is known about correlates and predictors of self-harm after sexual assault. We hypothesized that pre-assault vulnerabilities and post-assault psychological distress would be associated with self-harm after experiencing a recent sexual assault. METHODS: The sample was recruited from adolescents aged 13 to 17 years accessing sexual assault centers and it included 98 females. Longitudinal data were collected at RESULTS: The rate of self-harm was 38.1% before the assault and 37.8% after the assault ( DISCUSSION: Clinical implications for the prevention of onset or continuation of self-harm following adolescent sexual assault are discussed. Future studies should replicate these findings in a larger sample and consider different trajectories of self-harm.