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Table 3 The attitudes of the nurses towards patients with NSSI and differences according to gender, education, workplace and religious status

From: The attitudes and feelings of mental health nurses towards adolescents and young adults with nonsuicidal self-injuring behaviors

Statements regarding the attitude

x

s

Gender

Education

Workplace

Religiousness

G (p)

E (p)

W (p)

R (p)

F (n = 38)

M (n = 14)

H (n = 27)

M (n = 25)

P (n = 28)

N –P (n = 24)

R (n = 22)

N –R (n = 54)

20. I listen fully to self-harming clients’ problems and experiences*

4.64

0.74

4.71 ± 0.456

4.45 ±1.234

4.54 ± 0.942

4.67 ± 0.435

4.64 ± 0.994

4.65 ± 0.482

4.86 ± 0.351

4.56 ± 0.839

0.952

0.459

0.163

0.077

23. I demonstrate warmth and understanding to self-harming clients in my care*

4.61

0.49

4.64 ± 0.483

4.50 ± 0.513

4.62 ± 0.493

4.59 ± 0.498

4.70 ± 0.467

4.53 ± 0.505

4.68 ± 0.477

4.57 ± 0.499

0.265

0.854

0.155

0.384

26. I acknowledge self-harming clients’ qualities*

4.43

0.70

4.46 ± 0.687

4.35 ± 0.745

4.56 ± 0.598

4.30 ± 0.777

4.67 ± 0.540

4.26 ± 0.759

4.36 ± 0.848

4.46 ± 0.636

0.542

0.126

0.011

0.852

21. I feel concern for the self-harming client*

4.51

0.55

4.55 ± 0.537

4.40 ± 0.598

4.56 ± 0.502

4.64 ± 0.605

4.58 ± 0.502

4.47 ± 0.592

4.59 ± 0.503

4.48 ± 0.574

0.314

0.524

0.475

0.495

28. I can really help self-harming clients*

3.59

0.77

3.59 ± 0.804

3.60 ± 0.681

3.56 ± 0.788

3.62 ± 0.758

3.67 ± 0.595

3.53 ± 0.882

3.50 ± 0.859

3.63 ± 0.734

0.799

0.657

0.389

0.692

24. I help self-harming clients feel positive about themselves*

4.30

0.65

4.27 ± 0.700

4.40 ± 0.503

4.18 ± 0.756

4.43 ± 0.502

4.27 ± 0.574

4.33 ± 0,715

4.36 ± 0.727

4.28 ± 0.628

0.596

0.176

0.510

0.436

10. There is no way of reducing self-harm behaviors

1.82

0.81

1.80 ± 0.818

1.85 ± 0.813

1.85 ± 0.844

1.78 ± 0.787

1.42 ± 0.792

2.12 ± 0.697

1.77 ± 0.685

1.83 ± 0.863

0.755

0.823

˂0.001

0.956

7. A self-harming client is a complete waste of time

1.30

0.46

1.30 ± 0.464

1.30 ± 0,470

1.36 ± 0.486

1.24 ± 0.435

1.24 ± 0.435

1.35 ± 0.482

1.23 ± 0.429

1.33 ± 0.476

0.976

0.276

0.320

0.365

4. Self-harming clients do not respond to care

1.58

0.75

1.57 ± 0.806

1.60 ± 0.598

1.49 ± 0.683

1.68 ± 0.818

1.42 ± 0.663

1.70 ± 0.803

1.41 ± 0.666

1.65 ± 0.781

0.515

0.323

0.115

0.197

9. Self-harm is a serious moral wrongdoing

1.61

0.77

1.59 ± 0.757

1.65 ± 0.813

1.46 ± 0.643

1.76 ± 0.863

1.30 ± 0.529

1.84 ± 0.843

1.64 ± 1.002

1.59 ± 0.659

0.767

0.130

0.002

0.591

16. Self-harming clients have only themselves to blame for their situation

1.54

0.74

1.57 ± 0.783

1.45 ± 0.605

1.44 ± 0.598

1.65 ± 0.857

1.45 ± 0.617

1.60 ± 0.821

1.59 ± 0.959

1.52 ± 0.637

0.697

0.365

0.554

0.754

1. People who self-harm are usually trying to get sympathy from others

2.20

1.36

2.21 ± 1.552

2.15 ± 0.745

2.23 ± 1.667

2.16 ± 0.928

1.85 ± 0.667

2.47 ± 1.667

2.23 ± 0.973

2.19 ± 1.493

0.497

0.561

0.053

0.570

6. People who self-harm are typically trying to get even with someone

1.83

0.79

1.77 ± 0.786

2.00 ± 0.795

1.72 ± 0.793

1.95 ± 0.780

1.76 ± 0.792

1.88 ± 0.793

1.73 ± 0.767

1.87 ± 0.802

0.229

0.192

0.489

0.492

5. When individuals self-harm, it is often to manipulate carers

2.26

0.90

2.29 ± 0.929

2.20 ± 0.834

2.13 ± 0.801

2.41 ± 0.985

2.21 ± 0.740

2.30 ± 1.013

2.45 ± 0.963

2.19 ± 0.870

0.708

0.272

0.807

0.351

15. A self-harming client is a person who is only trying to get attention

2.21

0.91

2.20 ± 0.942

2.25 ± 0.851

2.15 ± 0.961

2.27 ± 0.871

2.24 ± 0.792

2.19 ± 1.006

2.41 ± 0.908

2.13 ± 0.912

0.642

0.485

0.660

0.204

18. Self-harming clients have a great need for acceptance and understanding*

4.20

0.83

4.29 ± 0.847

3.95 ± 0.759

4.13 ± 0.978

4.27 ± 0.652

4.27 ± 0.839

4.14 ± 0.833

4.36 ± 0.658

4.13 ± 0.891

0.045

0.909

0.402

0.386

11. People who self-harm lack solid religious convictions

1.57

0.84

1.48 ± 0.713

1.80 ± 1.105

1.54 ± 0.913

1.59 ± 0.762

1.45 ± 0.869

1.65 ± 0.813

1.68 ± 0.839

1.52 ± 0.841

0.313

0.475

0.181

0.348

2. People should be allowed to self-harm in a safe environment

1.66

0.93

1.71 ± 0.929

1.50 ± 0.946

1.85 ± 1.014

1.46 ± 0.803

1.52 ± 0.834

1.77 ± 0.996

1.59 ± 0.854

1.69 ± 0.968

0.199

0.075

0.228

0.763

12. Self-harm may be a form of reassurance for the individual that they are really alive and human*

2.83

1.06

2.98 ± 1.036

2.40 ± 1.046

3.03 ± 1.013

2.62 ± 1.089

2.94 ± 1.116

2.74 ± 1.026

2.68 ± 0.955

2.89 ± 1.093

0.030

0.108

0.266

0.347

14. Acts of self-harm are a form of communication to their situation*

3.93

0.75

4.05 ± 0.749

3.60 ± 0.61

4.00 ± 0.725

3.86 ± 0.787

4.06 ± 0.788

3.84 ± 0.721

3.77 ± 0.813

4.00 ± 0.727

0.021

0.411

0.170

0.245

13. Self-harming individuals can learn new ways of coping*

4.13

1.00

4.14 ± 1.017

4.10 ± 1.017

4.23 ± 1.012

4.03 ± 1.040

4.42 ± 0.840

3.91 ± 1.109

4.32 ± 0.945

4.06 ± 1.054

0.878

0.241

0.022

0.217

19. A self-harming client deserves the highest. standards of care on every occasion*

3.88

0.98

3.93 ± 1.006

3.75 ± 0.910

4.05 ± 0.826

3.70 ± 1.102

3.79 ± 1.023

3.95 ± 0.950

4.00 ± 1.069

3.83 ± 0.947

0.350

0.188

0.493

0.345

22. I feel critical towards self-harming clients

1.51

0.72

1.54 ± 0.738

1.45 ± 0.686

1.54 ± 0.756

1.49 ± 0.692

1.36 ± 0.653

1.63 ± 0.757

1.32 ± 0.568

1.59 ± 0.765

0.654

0.801

0.079

0.141

25. I feel to blame when my clients self-harm

2.57

1.21

2.79 ± 1.155

1.95 ± 1.191

2.67 ± 1.084

2.46 ± 1.346

2.21 ± 1.083

2.84 ± 1.252

2.82 ± 1.368

2.46 ± 1.145

0.004

0.304

0.036

0.311

27. I find it rewarding to care for self-harming clients*

1.55

0.75

1.59 ± 0.757

1.45 ± 0.759

1.59 ± 0.818

1.51 ± 0.692

1.67 ± 0.816

1.47 ± 0.702

1.73 ± 0.935

1.48 ± 0.666

0.394

0.858

0.280

0.408

29. I would feel ashamed if a member of my family engaged in self-harm

1.75

0.99

1.75 ± 1.031

1.75 ± 0.910

1.74 ± 0.938

1.76 ± 1.065

1.67 ± 0.890

1.81 ± 1.075

2.82 ± 0.935

1.72 ± 0.920

0.816

0.932

0.649

0.915

  1. N = 76; The data are presented as average ± standard deviation and p—Mann–Whitney U-test statistical significance; Gender: M – male/F—female; Education: H – technical, university level or post-graduate / M—high school; Workplace: P—psychotherapeutic unit / N-P—non-psychotherapeutic unit; Religiousness: R – actively religious / N-R—not actively religious; respondents replied on a 5-point Likert scale (5 = I completely agree; 1 = I don't agree at all). *—questions measuring low antipathy (positive attitudes) in the original SHAS, the rest measure high antipathy (negative attitudes). Statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) are in italic. Questions 8, 17 and 30 were removed from the analyses.