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Development and Factorial Validation of the Inventory of Deliberate Self-Harm Behaviours for Portuguese Adolescents

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Abstract

Deliberate self-harm (DSH) is a public health problem that mainly affects adolescents and young adults. Evidence suggests that multiple methods are used with a self-aggressive intent. The present article focuses on the development and factorial validation of the Inventory of Deliberate Self-harm Behaviours for Portuguese adolescents. This instrument assesses the lifetime frequency of 13 DSH methods, with and without suicidal intent. Study 1 consisted of an exploratory factor analysis with a sample of 131 adolescents with a reported history of DSH. Results revealed a three-factor structure with acceptable internal consistency: High Severity DSH, Mild Severity DSH, and Substance Use DSH. After item reduction, this structure was tested in Study 2 through a confirmatory factor analysis with an independent sample of 109 adolescents also with a history of DSH. Results showed an acceptable model fit. This instrument presents a solid structure and acceptable psychometric properties, allowing its use in further research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. CIE-ISPA, ISPA – Instituto Universitário, Rua Jardim do Tabaco 34, 1149-041, Lisbon, Portugal

    Eva Duarte & Maria Gouveia-Pereira

  2. CIPsi - Psychology Research Center, Victims, Offenders and Justice System Research Unit, School of Psychology, University of Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057, Braga, Portugal

    Hugo S. Gomes

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  1. Eva Duarte
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This research was approved by the General Education Directorate of the Ministry of Education and Science from Portugal. All procedures performed in both studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. This article does not contain any studies with animals performed by any of the authors.

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Eva Duarte, Maria Gouveia-Pereira, and Hugo S. Gomes declare that they have no conflict of interest to disclose.

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Duarte, E., Gouveia-Pereira, M. & Gomes, H.S. Development and Factorial Validation of the Inventory of Deliberate Self-Harm Behaviours for Portuguese Adolescents. Psychiatr Q 90, 761–776 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-019-09660-1

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