The worrying rise in digital self-harm among young people

Digital self-harm is an emerging trend where individuals anonymously post or share hurtful content about themselves online. — AFP Relaxnews

According to US research, a growing number of teenagers are engaging in digital self-harm, a practice that consists of anonymously posting or sharing hurtful content about themselves online. Girls and non-heterosexual young people were found to be significantly more likely to engage in this behaviour.

Published in the Journal of School Violence, this study, conducted by researchers at Florida Atlantic University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, analysed data from three independent national surveys conducted in 2016, 2019 and 2021, involving American teenagers aged 13 to 17.