Results of a UW research study suggest that low levels of serotonin, in combination with mother-daughter conflict, increase the chances of adolescent girls engaging in self-injuring behaviors such as cutting.

Self-injury is a significant problem for adolescents and young adults, and the prevalence may be increasing, said Shelia Crowell, co-author of the study and a doctoral student of psychology.

However, some academics in the field are wary of pinpointing the cause as mother-daughter conflict.

“In my experience, it’s hard to say what causes a cutting behavior, [whether it is] a history of conflict or other issues going on that have created a situation that is multi-causal,” said David Slagle, a counselor at the UW Counseling Center. “These issues are very complex and dynamic.”

Slagle noted that counselors at the center already take family background and other factors into account when assessing a patient, and said that the research would not greatly affect the kind of treatment offered.

The paper, published in the February issue of the Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, argues that the findings “underscore the importance of considering both biological and environmental risk factors in understanding and treating self-injuring adolescents.”

Serotonin is a naturally occurring chemical found in human blood, intestines and the brain. It serves as a neurotransmitter, or a communicator between cells, and reportedly affects mood and anxiety.

“The biological risk factor is serotonin, and the environmental risk factor is high family conflict. The combination of these factors help us understand those [self-injuring] behaviors,” Crowell said.

Although the median age of the participants in the study was 15, the findings are applicable to college-age students as well.

“Self-injury and suicide are linked to insufficient problem-solving skills and overwhelming life problems,” Crowell said. “Complex problems can be solved relatively consistently if the person is taught skills and coping strategies.”

To conduct the research, 20 adolescents with a history of self-harming behavior and 21 age-matched adolescents who did not harm themselves were recruited, according to a UW News article.

The participants and their mothers filled out behavioral questionnaires examining the adolescents’ mental health and self-injurious behaviors. Another survey identified areas of conflict between parents and teenagers.

The parents and teenagers were asked to discuss a conflict for 10 minutes. Afterward, the serotonin level of the teen was determined by taking a blood sample.

Although researchers chose low conflict topics like chores or curfews, many of the participants quickly became rude and angry at one another, Crowell said.

Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), developed at the UW by Marsha Linehan, is an effective treatment for adults who engage in self-injury. However, only small numbers of studies suggest this therapy would work for adolescents, Crowell said.

“Part of the research is about whether adolescents are similar to adults,” she said. “If you could identify children that are at higher risk, you could reduce the amount of conflict in the home while continuing treatment and medication.”

The application of the findings is geared more toward intervention, because prevention of these sorts of behaviors is very difficult.

“Suicide attempts and self-injury are rarely mutually exclusive in adolescents,” Crowell said.

[Reach reporter Sonia McBride at news@thedaily.washington.edu]