Self-Harm and Alexithymia among Victims of Incest

Abstract

Incest is regarded as one of the most serious silent phenomena to have spread within society, as it constitutes a grave indicator of social disintegration and the disruption of societal norms. It directly affects the stability, values, and security of the family, thereby intensifying victims' psychological suffering and their need for assistance and support from others. Therefore, the present study addressed the issue of self-harm and alexithymia among victims of incest. A clinical study was conducted on a case involving a victim of incest. The following tools were employed: clinical observation, a semi-structured interview, Zeinab Mahmoud Shokair’s Self-Harm Scale, and the Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20). The findings indicated that adolescent victims of incest experienced elevated levels of alexithymia and engaged in self-harming behaviour following sexual assault.