Citation

Dash S, Taylor T, Ofanoa M, Taufa N. N. Zeal. J. Psychol. 2017; 46(3): 115-125.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2017, New Zealand Psychological Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study explored Pasifika peoples' understandings of Deliberate Self-Harm (DSH) based on the perspective of Pacific health professionals in New Zealand. A total of 20 informants were interviewed using semi-structured Talanoa methods. Informants held professional roles in the mental health, social and addiction sectors in Auckland, (female, n = 10, male, n = 10). DSH was defined as an intentional act of inflicting harm to the physical, mental or spiritual self, and served separate functions from suicidal intent. DSH was defined to include both direct self-harm, as well as indirect forms of self-harm over time including, alcohol and drug misuse, gambling, self-starvation and risk taking behaviours. Intentional harm to the spiritual or the mental self included deliberate disconnection from spiritual faith and holding adverse perspectives and worldviews.

CONCLUSION: Based on the findings it is recommended that a) DSH may be acknowledged as a behaviour that can be separated from suicide in terms of functionality, b) the present clinical DSH diagnosis criteria should include Pacific definitions of DSH, c) best-practice clinical treatment guidelines should accordingly be reviewed to incorporate treatment that encapsulate DSH behaviours relevant to Pacific people, and finally, d) researchers need to adopt operational definitions that reflects Pacific conceptualisations of DSH when conducting studies with Pacific communities in New Zealand. © The material published in this issue is copyright to the New Zealand Psychological Society.

Language: en

Keywords

And Indigenous peoples; Deliberate self harm; DSH; Ethnic minorities; Non-suicidal self-injury; Pacific peoples; Self-harm