Attempted suicide and self injury in prisons : an exploration of risk factors and motivations

This research aims to develop a theoretical understanding of prisoners’ motivations for attempting suicide or injuring themselves without suicidal intent. The research proposes that whilst there are some similarities between the behaviours (i.e., both are self-directed and both result in physical harm) the differences between them outweigh their similarities. Most fundamentally, they are seen to differ in psychological, cognitive, motivational and functional respects. The research attempts to overcome limitations of previous studies, by providing a qualitative and quantitative analysis of first-hand prisoner accounts, focusing on their explanations for their behaviours. The research has three broad aims: 1. To examine what motivates or underlies attempted suicide/self-injury; 2. To explore the relationship between these behaviours and previously-identified risk factors; 3. To identify differences and similarities (in motivation and identified ‘risk’ factors) between different types of prisoners and different degrees of ‘suicidal’ behaviour. In-depth interviews with 143 prisoners in ten prisons were conducted. The sample was broadly balanced according to sex, age and behaviour. The interviews explored a range of issues, e.g., personal background histories, social support networks and self reported feelings before and after the incident. Data were analysed using qualitative and quantitative techniques to explore the underlying structures of risk and motivation, in addition to between-group differences. The research shows that prisoners who attempt suicide and those who injure themselves for other reasons share many similarities in terms of background, socio-demographic, psychiatric and criminal characteristics. However, the research has provided support for the proposition that these distinct behaviours are underpinned by fundamentally different motivations; they are precipitated by different emotions and serve different functions. These findings are drawn together into a Dual Path Model, indicating the different psychological routes to these behaviours. The implications, in terms of understanding these behaviours and in their broad management, are discussed.