Adolescence and Self-injurious Behavior: A Review of National Literature

Abstract

Adolescence may correspond to the period of greatest vulnerability to development, whose crises of self-injurious behavior without suicidal intent, are emerging in adverse situations. To this end, this study aimed to analyze the national scientific production on non-suicidal self-harm, self-mutilation and adolescents. An integrative literature review was carried out, whose national databases were SciELO, LILACS and PePSIC. The search strategies were “Non-suicidal self-harm OR self-mutilation AND adolescence OR adolescents AND Cognitive-Behavioral therapy OR psychotherapy”. Studies only in Portuguese were considered, between 2009 and 2020. After defining the inclusion and refinement criteria, eleven studies were retained, which were analyzed for methodological and thematic aspects. The results showed that, although the national researches found in the last ten years, covered adolescents with self-injurious behaviors as the main theme, no study that suggested coping strategies and psychotherapeutic nature, among the analyzed studies, was found. Consideration is given to the importance of advancing research that privileges not only the impact of the disorder on this population, but that points to psychotherapeutic strategies and resources, in addition to protective measures that promote their coping and provide positive outcomes in dealing with the problem.