Grant: Doctoral Award - Frederick Banting and Charles Best Canada Graduate Scholarships

Studies of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) have primarily focused on adolescents who engage in this behaviour. In adolescent research comparing different types of deliberate self-harm (DSH), NSSI was associated with borderline personality features, while major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder were associated with suicide attempts (SA). In addition, NSSI was associated with higher incidents of DSH during treatment and childhood abuse and neglect. The study of NSSI, however, has been widely neglected in adults. The current research aims to investigate the relationship between different types of DSH (i.e., SA only, NSSI only, both SA and NSSI, and no DSH) among adults and risk factors, mental disorders, and treatment outcomes in three separate studies. Study 1 will determine which mental disorders are associated with each DSH group and whether different DSH groups are associated with different risk factors. Study 2 will investigate these relationships longitudinally, to determine the course of different types of DSH. Study 3 will compare treatment outcomes in the different groups of DSH. Participants will be selected from Suicide Assessment Form in Emergency Psychiatry (SAFE) database. The SAFE database is comprised of all consecutive adults who are assessed by psychiatric services at two Manitoba hospitals. Data collection is ongoing, with a sample size of 6,918 as of December, 2011. The SAFE database will also be linked to the Manitoba Centre for Health Policy (MCHP) databases which will enable examination of the relationship between DSH groups and suicide outcome measures, psychiatric diagnoses, medication prescription and treatment utilization. This research will play a crucial role in understanding the prevalence, course and treatment of DSH and help to prevent suicide among North American adults.