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A team from Canada conducted a review and meta-analysis of 42 studies on self-harm in children and young people from 12 high-income countries between 2000 and 2024. According to the available data, corresponding to more than 200 million people under 25 years of age, there was an annual increase of 2.5% in self-reported self-harm and 3.5% in medical visits for self-harm, particularly among girls. The results are published in JAMA Pediatrics. 

High academic pressure during adolescence is linked to increased rates of depressive symptoms and self-harm, which can persist into early adulthood. This finding, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, was observed in a sample of nearly 5,000 young people born in England (UK) in 1991 and 1992. Academic pressure was measured when participants were 15 years old, mental health was assessed repeatedly between ages 16 and 22, and self-harm was tracked up to age 24. While the association with depressive symptoms was observed up to age 22, it was strongest at 16. Regarding self-harm, each one-point increase in academic pressure was associated with an 8 % higher likelihood of engaging in self-injurious behavior.

A report by the Lancet Commission on Self-Harm highlights that at least 14 million episodes of self-harm occur each year - particularly among young people and in low- and middle-income countries. The paper argues that their impact has been neglected by governments globally and sets out a series of recommendations to reduce their incidence.