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Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality are common among adolescents. School staff are often the first adults to be confronted with those behaviors. However, previous studies have shown a lack of knowledge and confidence in dealing with self-harming behaviors. Objectives of this study were to evaluate a workshop on NSSI and suicidality in adolescence for teachers, school social workers and school psychologists. In total, N = 267 school staff participated in 1 of 16 two-day workshops, which were offered in different cities in southern Germany. Pre-,post and 6-month follow-up assessments were conducted concerning attitudes, confidence in own skills, perceived knowledge, and knowledge on NSSI and suicidality. Satisfaction with the workshop was evaluated directly after the workshop; changes in handling situations involving youth with self-harm were evaluated at follow-up. Overall, participants were very satisfied with the workshop. Few negative attitudes regarding NSSI and suicidality were prevalent before and after the workshop. Large effect sizes were found for improvement in confidence, perceived knowledge, and knowledge at postassessment, which were still present at 6-month follow-up. There were significant differences between professions, with teachers seemingly benefitting the most from the workshop. At follow-up, participants reported more changes in their own behavior than having been able to implement changes on a school level. A 2-day workshop seems to be effective in changing knowledge and confidence in school staff regarding NSSI and suicidality. Workshops catered to different professions (i.e., teachers and school psychologists) might be feasible.

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Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) is a relevant clinical problem with high prevalence rates in adolescence. Despite the high numbers of individuals with NSSI, the neurobiological background is still poorly understood. This review aims to present an overview from different fields of neurobiological research. Results from neuroimaging studies, as well as from studies on neurotransmitters, point to an insufficient stress response. Analgesia and hypalgesia are often reported from individuals with repetitive NSSI, supporting neurobiological alterations. Therefore NSSI can be understood as a coping strategy that serves to down-regulate high experienced emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-suicidal Self-injury (NSSI) is a relevant clinical problem with high prevalence rates in adolescence. Despite the high numbers of individuals with NSSI, the neurobiological background is still poorly understood. This review aims to present an overview from different fields of neurobiological research. Results from neuroimaging studies, as well as from studies on neurotransmitters, point to an insufficient stress response. Analgesia and hypalgesia are often reported from individuals with repetitive NSSI, supporting neurobiological alterations. Therefore NSSI can be understood as a coping strategy that serves to down-regulate high experienced emotions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a frequent, clinically relevant phenomenon occurring in adolescence, which can be observed parallel to various mental disorders. Within Europe, Germany has one of the highest prevalence rates in youths, with the lifetime prevalence ranging between 25–35 %. To date a guideline on the treatment of self-injury and stereotypic motoric disorders has been available, the last having been updated in 2006 and expired in 2011., Methods: The guideline development group consisted of members of 11 medical, psychological, or psychotherapeutic professional associations and two members from patient and prevention groups. The guideline was developed in two meetings followed up by consecutive literature searches; it was adopted in a final consensus conference. The algorithm on the treatment of NSSI was approved in three rounds of a Delphi process., Results: Although there is solid evidence of NSSI from the fields of epidemiology and diagnostics, few studies report data on the longitudinal course as well as on the psychotherapeutic and adjuvant psychopharmacological treatment of NSSI in adolescence. The stepped care regimens in cases demanding somatic treatment were addressed interdisciplinarily., Conclusions: In accordance with the heterogeneous evidence, important points for the treatment of NSSI in adolescence were determined in a consensus conference. There is still a lack of knowledge on prevention as well as clinical interventions, both of which need to be addressed by further research.