This is the first longitudinal study in the United Kingdom to examine outcomes of self harm in a general population sample, and it is the first study to investigate differences in clinical and social outcomes according to suicidal intent. Existing follow-up studies have primarily been conducted in clinical samples, which account for less than 20% of self harm episodes in the community.2 3 Several different outcomes were examined and we investigated the possible confounding effects of socioeconomic position and previous symptoms of depression, which were assessed at multiple time points throughout adolescence.
