Digital Self-Harm Among Adolescents - a literature review

Abstract

Introduction:

Digital self-harm (DSH) is a newly identified phenomenon in which adolescents anonymously publish hurtful content targeting their own person online. It is often associated with difficulties regulating emotions and the need for social validation. The phenomenon is more common among those belonging to minority groups, such as LGBTQ+ youth and those with disabilities. Digital self-harm can act as a marker of serious emotional disturbance and be a signal of suicide risk.  

Materials and Methods:

Literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed and Google Scholar, with search terms including “digital self-harm”, “fictitious online victimization”, “non-suicidal self-injury”,, “adolescents”.

Conclusions:

DSH remains an under-recognized phenomenon, despite growing research interest. It shows similarities with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), but its digital specificity suggests the need to separate it as a separate clinical category. At present, there is no unified theoretical framework or effective treatments - it is not known whether the interventions used for NSSI are equally effective in the context of DSH. It should be noted that research on DSH remains methodologically and geographically limited. Analyses that include European cultural and social perspectives are lacking. There is an urgent need for in-depth qualitative research to understand the motivations and psychological mechanisms surrounding this phenomenon. Educating teachers, parents and mental health professionals on how to recognize and respond to DSH behavior should become an integral part of public health policy.