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Abstract. This study investigated the relationship between the anxiety provoked by threatening events in society like the Covid-19 pandemic, and illusory pattern perception, with conspiracy beliefs. Using an experimental design, in Study 1 high vs. low anxiety was manipulated, while in Study 2 we manipulated intuitive pattern search, with the findings supporting the assumption that greater anxiety and higher intuitive pattern search lead to an increase in conspiracy beliefs. In order to prevent the detrimental effects of beliefs in conspiracy theories on the individual and societal levels, we recommend transparent information and pre-warning, as well as a focus on critical thinking in education. Keywords: societal events, anxiety, intuitive pattern search, illusory pattern perception, conspiracy beliefs, Covid-19 pandemic

Self-disclosure is the key prerequisite for the provision of help and professional intervention in the case of mental difficulties. Self-harming behaviour is a problem in this area that has been a remarkably strong taboo, and as such, this form of behaviour is often hidden. The most at risk category in this context are adolescents who demonstrably receive the least psychological intervention and for whom self-harm is a high-risk behaviour (considering its prevalence, health risks, lethality and consequences for their future mental health). This study observes the prevalence of self-harming behaviour (45.3%) in a sample of 2,210 adolescents aged from 11 to 19, and subsequently observes the willingness of the subjects to self-disclose self-harming behaviour in a sample subset of 1,002 self-harming adolescents (mean age = 15.37; 68.6% female). 55.2% of self-harmers were willing to provide data on this topic; and only 51.5% of them stated that they had disclosed their self-harming behaviour to someone else, most frequently to their peer(s) (80.0%). Female subjects disclosed this information significantly more often than men (p = 0.000) and were significantly more willing (p = 0.025) to provide data about their behaviour in this area. There were no age specificities observed in the self-disclosure by self-harming adolescents. The analysis of the results suggests a need to provide the target group of adolescents with information regarding the help available to self-harming individuals as well as a need of further scientific observation of possible barriers, facilitators or interventional (e.g. personality-related) variables.