Comparing Theory of Mind, Emotion Recognition, and Suicidal Ideation Among Adolescents With and Without Self-harm

Background: Self-harm is a significant indicator of suicide attempts, with the likelihood of suicide increasing among adolescents who engage in frequent self-harming behaviors. Addressing this issue is crucial. This study aimed to compare the theory of mind (ToM), emotion recognition, and suicidal ideation among adolescents with and without self-harm. Methods: The present study followed a causal-comparative design. The statistical population comprised all high school-educated boys and girls in the second half of the 2022 academic year in Guilan. A total of 55 high school students were selected using a multi-stage cluster approach and purposive sampling methods. Data collection instruments included the Ekman 60-faces test (EK-60F), the ToM scale, and the Beck scale for suicidal ideation (BSSI). Eventually, the data collected from 55 individuals were analyzed through a one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post hoc test by SPSS software, version 27.  Results: The group of boys with self-harm significantly differed from the group of girls without self-harm regarding the introductory ToM variable using the ToM (P 0.001). Considering the variable emotion recognition, the group of boys with self-harm exhibited a significant difference compared to both the boys without self-harm and the girls without self-harm groups (P 0.001). For the suicide ideation variable, the boys with self-harm group demonstrated a significant difference when compared to the boys without self-harm and girls without self-harm groups (P 0.001).  Conclusion: The research discovered variations in ToM, emotion recognition, and suicidal thoughts between teenagers who engage in self-harm and those who do not.