Health News: Self-harm - Scottish research reveals triggers

The study, published in the British Journal of Psychiatry, examined the prevalence of self-harm among 1,258 18- to 20-year-olds living in central Clydesdale, Scotland. Contrary to previous studies, it found self-harm was not strongly related to the harmer's gender or their parents' social class. However, unemployed young people were found to have more severe levels of self-harm and were more likely to want to kill themselves. In contrast young people still in full-time education only tended to self-harm for short periods.

In response to the research, the Mental Health Foundation called on the Government to view self-harm as a national priority. Dr Andrew McCulloch, the foundation's chief executive said: "It is frustrating that this is not already being addressed."