Mitos sobre autolesão em imagens de páginas da web: entrevista com profissionais de saúde mental

Abstract

Self-mutilation can be defined as inflicting injury on oneself without the conscious suicide intention. This study aimed to verify and compare the identification of psychologists and psychiatrists regarding myths and truths about self-injury. A structured interview was used as a research instrument, which collected data from 5 psychologists and 5 psychiatrists. The data was analyzed based on the Chi Square Test. The most used sources was theoretical books (60%) and journals (50%) may subject to a greater rigidity in their form and quality. The sample did not present differences regarding its ability to identify mental disorders associated with self-injury (X2=0,149962499), however, as the data identified etiological theme, psychologists tended to associate as externalizing causes, while psychiatrists to internalizing ones. Psychologists also showed a greater ability to identify myths than psychiatrists. These differences are attributed in terms of the education and training of each profession. It was shown necessary to expand and update researchs in the area of myths in order to reduce distortions regarding publications and the view of mental health professionals’ on the subject.