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Suicidal Intent in Self-Injury

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 January 2018

David W. Pierce*
Affiliation:
East Glamorgan Hospital Church Village, near Pontypridd, Glamorgan

Summary

The difficulties in measuring suicidal intent in cases of self-injury are discussed, and a scale is described to measure this intent. This scale has been used in 500 cases of self-injury. It is practical and reliable. Results show that the scores derived from it are closely related to the similar Beck Scale; they are also related to age, sex, social isolation, method of self-injury, previous history of self-injury or of psychiatric treatment, physical health at the time of self-injury and alcohol abuse. These results are discussed with particular reference to suicide prediction and the future validation of the scale by long-term follow-up.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal College of Psychiatrists, 1977 

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