[Links between self-harm and suicidal behaviour in adolescents]

Abstract

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal behaviour (SB) are both important issues in adolescent health care. The fact that they frequently coexist means that it is important to consider the nature of the link between them and the ways they are understood. Suicide and self-injury share the same risk factors. Integrated models envisage NSSI as a gateway enabling teenagers to acquire a capability for suicide. The act short-circuits the thought process and the intention to die underlying the act appears difficult to assess.

Keywords: act of self-aggression; adolescence; automutilation; conduite suicidaire; geste auto-agressif; passage à l’acte suicidaire; self-injury; suicidal act; suicidal behaviour.