From Wounds to Self-Worth: Understanding the Psychological Link Between Self-Esteem and Self-Harm Among Students

Rayhan Khairul Pratama
Universitas Indraprasta PGRI Indonesia
Yuda Syahputra
Universitas Indraprasta PGRI Indonesia
Dona Fitri Annisa
IKIP Siliwang, Cimahi, Indonesia Indonesia
Azukaego Ifeoma Eluemuno
Alvan Ikoku Federal University of Education Nigeria
Rizki Akhri Juari
Universitas Al Azhar, Cairo Egypt
10.63203/040951500 June 30, 2026 Page 1-14

Abstract

Self-harming behavior has become an important mental health concern among adolescents and is frequently associated with various psychological factors, including self-esteem. This study aimed to examine the effect of self-esteem on self-harm among junior high school students and to identify its implications for school guidance and counseling services. A quantitative cross-sectional correlational design was employed involving 214 Grade VIII students from SMPN 14 Bekasi, Indonesia, who were selected using simple random sampling. Data were collected using researcher-developed self-esteem and self-harm questionnaires and analyzed using descriptive statistics and simple linear regression with IBM SPSS Statistics version 20.  The findings revealed a significant negative effect of self-esteem on self-harm (β = -0.415, p < .001), indicating that students with higher self-esteem were less likely to engage in self-harming behavior. Self-esteem explained 31.6% of the variance in self-harm, suggesting that additional psychological and environmental factors may also contribute to adolescents' self-harming behavior. These findings highlight the protective role of self-esteem in reducing self-harm among adolescents and provide empirical support for the development of school-based counseling interventions that strengthen students' self-esteem and adaptive coping skills as part of preventive mental health programs.

Keywords

self esteem self harm guidance counseling early adolescents

Licensing Information

Copyright (c) 2026 Rayhan Khairul Pratama, Yuda Syahputra, Dona Fitri Annisa, Azukaego Ifeoma Eluemuno, Rizki Akhri Juari

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Pratama, R. K., Syahputra, Y., Annisa, D. F., Eluemuno, A. I., & Juari, R. A. (2026). From Wounds to Self-Worth: Understanding the Psychological Link Between Self-Esteem and Self-Harm Among Students . Jurnal Keilmuan Pendidikan, 2(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.63203/040951500
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