{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T18:33:31Z","timestamp":1779215611455,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":0,"publisher":"Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences","issue":"11","content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Pak J Med Sci"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Objectives: This study aimed \u201cTo identify the factors which increase the vulnerability of self-harm behavior among individuals with substance use and factors which buffer that risk\u201d.\r\nMethods: The present qualitative study was hosted by National Institute of Psychology, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. It took seven months, from October 2021 to April 2022 to conduct the study. Face-to-face in-depth interviews were conducted in rehabilitation centers of two different cities. The sample of the study included (N = 26) participants, 21 individuals with substance use disorder (with\/without deliberate self-harm), and five experts (experienced in dealing with the target population). All the interviews were recorded and transcribed for reflexive thematic analysis. A brief survey was also used to get information about demographics and self-harm behaviors.\r\nResults: The analysis helped to develop nine themes (six risk factors &amp; three protective factors), including separate subthemes for each. The themes were named as a spectrum of adverse experiences, maladaptive personality traits, poor methods of dealing with stressors, chaotic emotions and thoughts about self, internalizing and externalizing problems, and self-harm-related specific factors. Additionally, themes generated for the protective factors were supportive social ties, adaptive coping strategies, and promoting personal resources.\r\nConclusion: Specific familial, social, and personal factors increase the likelihood of self-harm by causing negative self-evaluation, poor coping skills and psychological distress. This vulnerability ends with self-harm, when combined with conducive environmental situations for the risky behavior. However, the risk can be decreased by providing social and emotional support and encouraging positive mental attitudes.\r\ndoi: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12669\/pjms.40.11.8196\r\nHow to cite this: Batool M, Masood S. Risk and protective factors of deliberate self-harm among individuals with substance use disorder: A qualitative study in Pakistan. Pak J Med Sci. 2024;40(11):2606-2612. doi: https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12669\/pjms.40.11.8196\r\nThis is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.12669\/pjms.40.11.8196","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]],"date-time":"2024-11-20T17:48:28Z","timestamp":1732124908000},"page":"2606-2612","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":2,"title":["Risk and protective factors of deliberate self-harm among individuals with substance use disorder: A qualitative study in Pakistan"],"prefix":"10.12669","volume":"40","author":[{"given":"Mehak","family":"Batool","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sobia","family":"Masood","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"4935","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]},"container-title":["Pakistan Journal of Medical Sciences"],"original-title":[],"link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/pjms.org.pk\/index.php\/pjms\/article\/download\/8196\/2463","content-type":"application\/pdf","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"text-mining"},{"URL":"https:\/\/pjms.org.pk\/index.php\/pjms\/article\/download\/8196\/2463","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,9]],"date-time":"2026-05-09T11:11:49Z","timestamp":1778325109000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/pjms.org.pk\/index.php\/pjms\/article\/view\/8196"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]},"references-count":0,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]}},"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.12669\/pjms.40.11.8196","relation":{},"ISSN":["1681-715X","1682-024X"],"issn-type":[{"value":"1681-715X","type":"electronic"},{"value":"1682-024X","type":"print"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2024,11,20]]}}}