Autolesiones online entre adolescentes españoles: Análisis de la prevalencia y de las motivaciones

Abstract

Digital self-harm among spanish adolescents: analysis of prevalence and motivations. Digital self-harm consists of the use of information and communication technologies, as Internet and mobile phone, to post, send or share content that is harmful or humiliating to oneself. The first objective of this study was to examine the prevalence of different forms of digital self-harm among adolescents. The second objective was to analyze the motivations to engage in digital self-harm using, to this end, a qualitative methodology of content analysis. The sample of this study was composed of 794 participants (50.6% women) between 12 and 18 years (M = 14.29 y DT = 1.64). The 7.9% of the adolescents recognized having caused some physical damage and posting it on the Internet and 3.8% having published the photos of the self-harm on the Internet. The main motivations for engaging in digital self-harm were: 1) doing it as an expression of distress; 2) seeking relief; 3) looking for others' attention and understanding; 4) see the reaction of others; 5) because they considered that it was funny; and 6) because others do it or it is “a fad”. The results suggest that we are facing a worrying problem that needs to be better investigated.