Män och självskadebeteende: En scoping review om förklaringsmodeller i vetenskaplig litteratur

Abstract

The aim of this thesis is to identify and summarize how scientific literature describes men with self-harming behavior and as the explanatory models used to understand such behavior, as well as to highlight how these models contribute to shaping the understanding of these men. Previous research has predominantly focused on individual, pathological or psychological explanations of self-harm, with women being the normative point of reference. A scoping review was conducted as the methodological framework, resulting in 25 articles being selected, charted and analyzed in order to identify eight explanatory models of self-harm among men. These included biological explanations, minority stress, interpersonal communication, emotional regulation, external factors, comorbidity, masculinity norms and intrapersonal challenges. These models were grouped into three broader fields of understanding: biological, psychological and societal. The material was analysed through the lens of social constructionism and theories of masculinity. This thesis discusses the importance of critically examining which explanatory models are made visible in scientific literature and which are left out. The dominance of psychological and intrapersonal explanations risks reinforcing individualising understandings while structural and societal aspects, such as masculinity norms, are often marginalised. This may influence how men with self-harming behaviors are perceived and supported in both clinical and societal contexts. By highlighting this imbalance, the thesis aims to contribute to a more nuanced and inclusive understanding of self-harm among men.