Objectives: Little is known about the
prevalence and correlates of
deliberate self-harm (DSH) in
children from low- and middle-
income countries. We investigated the
prevalence of DSH and its clinical and maternal psychopathological
associations in Brazilian
children (n=2,508, ages 6-14y) in a
community -based study.
Methods: Participants of the High
Risk Cohort Study for the Development of Childhood
Psychiatric Disorders (HRC) and their
mothers were assessed in structured interviews. Current (last month) and lifetime DSH were estimated, including
analysis stratified by
age groups .
Logistic regressions were performed to investigate the
role of the
children 's clinical
diagnoses and maternal
psychopathology on DSH
prevalence estimates, adjusting for potential confounding factors.
Results: The
prevalence of current DSH was 0.8% (
children 0.6%,
adolescents 1%) and lifetime DSH was 1.6% (1.8% and 1.5%, respectively). Current and lifetime DSH were more frequent in
children with
depression ,
attention -deficit/hyperactivity disorder (
ADHD ) and
oppositional defiant disorder (ODD), even in multiple models
accounting for demographic variables and co-occurring
psychiatric disorders . Maternal
anxiety disorder was strongly associated with current and lifetime DSH in offspring; whereas current DSH, specifically in young
children , was associated with maternal
mood disorder .
Conclusion: Diagnoses of
depression ,
ADHD and ODD were consistently associated with DSH, as was having a
mother with
anxiety disorder .