Study on prevalence, risk factors and knowledge on preventive strategies of self harming among grade 12 Advanced Level students in Batticaloa Zone

Abstract

Self-harm is when somebody injures or harms themselves to cope with or express extreme emotional distress and internal turmoil. They do not generally intend to kill themselves. But the results can be fatal. Self-harm is a very sensational issue in recent years not only in Batticaloa district but also in whole Sri Lanka. Analysis of prevalence, risk factors and knowledge on preventive strategies of self harming will be helpful for Advanced Level students who engage in self-harm since it will provide them with adequate psychological support and other techniques to lessen their thoughts of self-harm and prevent serious problems from self-injury. The aim of this research is to study the prevalence, risk factors, and knowledge on preventive strategies of self harming among grade 12 Advanced Level school students in Batticaloa Educational Zone. A descriptive cross- sectional study was conducted to study the prevalence, risk factors, and knowledge on preventive strategies of self harming among grade 12 Advanced Level school students in Batticaloa Educational Zone. After obtaining informed written consent from the students, data was collected through a validated self- administered questionnaire. The obtained data was analyzed using Statistical Package of Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 29. The ethical approval was obtained from the Ethics Review Committee, Faculty of Health-Care Sciences, Eastern University, Sri Lanka. A total of 380 data samples were collected from the students, 9 incomplete data samples were removed. 371 complete data samples were analyzed. The analysis indicated that the prevalence of self harm among grade 12 Advanced Level school students in Batticaloa Educational Zone is 22.6%. According to our research, mother’s availability, being forced by the parents to choose the stream that they need, family history of self harm, not sharing personal issues with parents, being alone at home frequently, imposing family members’ own preferences on students, financial crisis faced by the family, being bullied by friends, being in love, being abused by someone, low academic satisfaction, having unsupportive teachers, lack of rest, unfocused studying, unable to cope up with academic stress, feeling sad so often, having physical illness, having poor mental health, duration of nap, amount of time spent on social media platforms, playing games in electronic devices, amount of time spent on screen to play games ,amount of time spent on screen to watch dramas, being punished by the parents for exceeding the allocated screen time and being triggered by messages from social media are the significant risk factors. In results, 48.0%, 43.1% and 8.9% are representing poor, moderate and good knowledge on preventive strategies opf self harming. This research underscores the imperative of recognizing and addressing the prevalence of self harm among Advanced Level school students of Batticaloa zone. The insights gleaned from this study offer a foundation for educational institutions to develop targeted interventions that acknowledge the unique challenges faced by school students. Ultimately, this study contributes to the ongoing conversation on student well being and serves as a stepping stone for fostering holistic growth and success within the medical education context.