oss and Heath (2002) reported that there is some tentative evidence suggesting that the incidence of self-mutilating behavior may actually be increasing among adolescents. Defining SM has proven to be a difficult task for researchers and clinicians alike while creating effective prevention and intervention programs and strategies is even more difficult. Consequently, developing an effective program to meet the counseling needs of self-mutilating adolescents is an important task that must be addressed by clinicians.
As subsequent sections of this dissertation will demonstrate, there is an unfortunate paucity of targeted programming for self-mutilating adolescents and an even greater deficit of empirical analyses of intervention efficacy. Rodham, et al (2004) have pointed out that clinicians have an obligation to their clients with regard to the development of counseling and intervention strategies that can facilitate a return to health and well-being.
Finally, Nichols (2000) has indicated that few behaviors of youth cause as much concern or revulsion as self-mutilation. A generation ago, such behavior was mostly confined to individuals in programs dealing with serious retardation or psychosis. Now, the problem has reached epidemic proportions and therefore demands examination and the creation of interventions that address the deep psychological distress that is experienced by self-mutilating individuals of all ages. The present study, which focuses on designing a family therapy program for self-mutilating adolescents is therefore of enormous value as clinicians grapple with this important developmental issue.
Definition of Key Terms and Variables
One of the difficulties identified in the literature with regard to self-mutilating behavior is that defining such behavior has proven to be a difficult task for researchers and clinicians. Ross and Heath (2002) have stated that there is no generally agreed upon terminolo...