GLASGOW, Scotland, April 14 - The rate of suicide attempts and self-mutilation-is high among those in the Goth youth subculture, researchers here reported.

More than half of 19-year-olds who self-identified as Goth reported self-harming behavior, and nearly half reported a suicide attempt, said Robert Young, a research associate at the University of Glasgow.


But whether participation in Goth culture leads to self-destructive behavior or whether adolescents with those tendencies gravitate to Goth is not clear, Young and colleagues said online today in BMJ, formerly the British Medical Journal.


Goth is a subgenre of punk culture characterized by "a dark and sinister aesthetic, with aficionados conspicuous by their range of distinctive clothing and makeup and tastes in music," the investigators said. There is a Goth subculture in the U.S., reportedly inspired by fantasy games such as Dungeons and Dragons. Others, however, contend that the Goth phenomenon has nothing to do with Dungeons and Dragons.


Self-harming behavior is "a maladaptive coping strategy intended to relieve negative emotions such as anger, anxiety, frustration, or guilt," the investigators said. "It is usually unrelated to an immediate suicide attempt."


The researchers surveyed 1,258 young people during their final year of primary school (age 11) and again at ages 13, 15, and 19. The study participants were asked about self-harm and identification with a variety of youth subcultures.


The study found that belonging to the Goth subculture was strongly associated with a lifetime prevalence of self harm (53%) and attempted suicide (47%). For comparison, the rate of self-harming behavior among the general youth population in the United Kingdom is 7% to 14%, and the rate of suicide attempts is about 6%, the authors said.


Furthermore, identifying oneself as Goth was associated with a 14-fold increase in risk for self harming behavior (odds ratio=14.16; 95% confidence interval=4.42-45.39) and a 16-fold increase in risk for suicide attempt (OR=16.37; 95% CI=4.93-54.35) compared with non-Goth youth, the study found.


Even after adjusting for other known predictors such as being female, having divorced or separated parents, smoking, drug use, and depression, Goth identification remained the single strongest predictor of self-harm or suicide attempt, the study found.


Some other youth subcultures, such as Punk and Mosher, were also associated with self-harm, but the association was strongest for Goth.


"Although only fairly small numbers of young people identify as belonging to the Goth subculture, rates of self-harm and attempted suicide are very high among this group," Young said.


"One common suggestion is they may be copying subcultural icons or peers," he said. "But since our study found that more reported self-harm before, rather than after, becoming a Goth, this suggests that young people with a tendency to self-harm are attracted to the Goth subculture."


"Rather than posing a risk, it's also possible that by belonging to this subculture young people are gaining valuable social and emotional support from their peers," he suggested. "However, the study was based on small numbers and replication is needed to confirm our results."


i just found it amusing how they're all shocked by this "finding". discuss.

i think this article is a bit outdated, or late. emo shits have them goth's beat bar none.

i think this article is a bit outdated, or late. emo shits have them goth's beat bar none.
nuh uh.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Pediatrics/Parenting/tb/3098

Primary source: British Medical Journal
Source reference:
Robert Young et al. "Prevalence of deliberate self harm and attempted suicide within contemporary Goth youth subculture: a longitudinal cohort study." British Medical Journal. Advanced online publication April 13, 2006.

i'm sure they'll find emos in a few years..more like 10 lol when they start showing up in psychiatric rooms for help..

emos suck. They popularize the problem that people have of self mutliation they make it trendy to slit your writs. It kina anoys me when people have a real problem and its being made cool to do it. And the whol goths/suicide link. part of that makes sence because if your suicidal there is a good chance your depresed and dark/black stuff makes sence. but also i dont think they do a good job polling for self mutilation. because most people who do it you would never know and most would never admit that they do.

I don't know very many kids into emo "culture" that actually slit their wrists. I'm not emo at all, but this stereotype is getting old quickly.













I'm scared right now...

I'm scared right now...

u should be. move out of sunny florida into a real american middle-upper class suburb, and you'll see the extent of this infestation...


btw, i see this thread moving to emo forum soon.

yeah it probably will move. but ive seen the people who act like they cut themselves and they do it for attention. which pisses me off a little bit. I swear vinny is right and emo is just a suburban thing where your rich so you cant realy complain about anything so you make somethng up

Isn't someone supposed to post the O RLY owl up? lol..

Yeah, science is so outdated sometimes :uhoh: Maybe those "scientists" should take a step out of their office and take a look outside. *Resident Evil ..except with emos and goths instead of zombies, even though they're from the same family tree*

I wouldn't know.

I'm a happy person. :)

Isn't someone supposed to post the O RLY owl up? lol..

Yeah, science is so oudated sometimes :uhoh: Maybe those "scientists" should take a step out of their office and take a look outside. *Resident Evil ..except with emos and goths instead of zombies, even though they're from the same family tree*
just wait 5 minutes, rally will find this thread soon enough

I always come around..

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/451/emo3yv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

I'll just say this, EMOs and Goths are like clowns, they make the funniest faces when caught in the high beams of your headlights.

I always come around..

http://img101.imageshack.us/img101/451/emo3yv.jpg (http://imageshack.us)
emo O RLY should have fall out boy or hawthorne heights, not linkin park. but since it's goth..i guess it sorta fits :p

Since when did Linkin park become goth????

you forgot the labret piercing too.

Haha, rally really did come in exactly five minutes..

I think I'm goth, or emo.

I use knives.

Goths and emo's dont kill theirselves Other people are just sick of hearing bout how they are going to do it so they kill them and make it look like suicide.

What a shock? Im not a big fan of the goth kids myself

I've actually never seen an emo there are some goths here though. are goths like mature emo's or somthing lol.

Haha, rally really did come in exactly five minutes..

Holy crap thats creepy..

I've actually never seen an emo there are some goths here though. are goths like mature emo's or somthing lol.
No they're just more wussified I guess.

I don't think the point is that they're shocked. The point is that now they have proof. It's been proven with research rather than AF discussions about how dumb they are. One holds more weight than the other. Obviously somebody wanted to call them out on their stupid behavior so they did research.

and for the record...
me = not shocked

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: Just post the quote into the Emo forum, and see what happens:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :p

Haha, rally really did come in exactly five minutes..
sorry to burst your bubble, rally isn't as cool as you think he really is. it was staged :eek:

Shoot the Emo's!

Vote Jet-Lee for Pres.

Shoot the Emo's!

Vote Jet-Lee for Pres.

Got my vote.

sorry to burst your bubble, rally isn't as cool as you think he really is. it was staged :eek:

Actually.. no it wasnt.. Danielle wanted me to come quicker, but I already read the thread and was currently on my way to make my post even before she told me anything.

EDIT: Also I am not cool and honestly doubt anyone here thinks I am cool..

Except for SV.. but he doesnt count.

Actually.. no it wasnt.. Danielle wanted me to come quicker, but I already read the thread and was currently on my way to make my post even before she told me anything.

EDIT: Also I am not cool and honestly doubt anyone here thinks I am cool..

Except for SV.. but he doesnt count.
i think ur cool. sv only thinks ur cool cuz he's trying to get in ur pants.

I'm not gonna live in a third world country with all the conformists.

hey, it's not fair to say that all emos are pussies. there are some hardcore emos..... but they all killed themselves.

and this whole goth killing themselves thing, it's kinda stupid, i coulda told you that.

oh and rally, dont worry, i think you're cool

hahahaha gotcha

rather than killing themselves, i thought goths would kill other pple... then themselves. or just practice some witchcraft on them.

All of this stuff is confusing me. What is the difference between Goths and emos? Well I was told that one was more pussy now I’m told that Goths practise witch craft, shit are they all just witches or just from the same line??? Meh all hocus pocus stuff if you ask me. As long as they don’t bother me I’m fine with them doing anything they want with them selves.

Except for SV.. but he doesnt count.

go:thefinger yourself dude......wait, you probably already have

hey, it's not fair to say that all emos are pussies. there are some hardcore emos..... but they all killed themselves

we've got a lot of hardcore emo dudes....i've got a gothic friend that just kicked a skinheads ass in a concert on monday

emos suck.

I'll Say No More :icon16:

go:thefinger yourself dude......wait, you probably already have


No.. I wont, and havent.. not everyone does it like you, SV.. well maybe Danielle. :p

No.. I wont, and havent.. not everyone does it like you, SV.. well maybe Danielle. :p
what the hell? are you trying to infer i fuck myself or sleep with mo? cuz neither of those are right. i told you, i live in wisconsin so i can stay far enough away from his juice and yogurt boobies :p

Why don't you see any goths older than 25? Because they all killed themselves :P

what the hell? are you trying to infer i fuck myself or sleep with mo? cuz neither of those are right. i told you, i live in wisconsin so i can stay far enough away from his juice and yogurt boobies :p

No I was referring to the first one.. because yes you do. :lol2:

what the hell? are you trying to infer i fuck myself or sleep with mo? cuz neither of those are right. i told you, i live in wisconsin so i can stay far enough away from his juice and yogurt boobies :p

that's cold.....it's bad enough that white chicks want my juice cos they want their future kids to be olympic runners and football players:disappoin

that's cold.....it's bad enough that white chicks want my juice cos they want their future kids to be olympic runners and football players:disappoin

anyone ever tell you why black guys are good at running?

Next thing you know they will do a study to prove that postal workers are more bound to go homicidial

Next thing you know they will do a study to prove that postal workers are more bound to go homicidial
doubt it, they're always too busy being cooked for. i've always wondered why my mail would show up so late some days..now i know

^They just try to spruce themselves up before they get to you. It's all about the uniform and the image.

Next thing you know they will do a study to prove that postal workers are more bound to go homicidial
i think you mean they're more prone to going... "postal" hahaha that was bad.

i think you mean they're more prone to going... "postal" hahaha that was bad.
*groan* yes that was very bad. shame on you lol

i'm sorry:frown:

i pity the fool....

Emos haven't been sad for a long long time. They're disturbingly happy. I'll quote me and my friend;

Emos around here seem so much happier than everybody else

Thats because everybody else is depressed about the fact that there are emos around here.

^They will abruptly feel depressed for making everyone else feel depressed. then everyone else will be a little happier, but feel even more depressed inside because the emo kids will be advertising their depression around, and everyone else would rather not put up with that. so in general, emo kids get everyone depressed, whether they themselves are depressed or not, but they'll be depressed anyway no matter what, which isn't really depressing for the moral reasons, only for the fact that its annoying.

:(