Factors Distinguishing Youth Who Report Self-Injurious Behavior: A Population-Based Sample

Abstract Objective To identify factors distinguishing adolescents across 3 groups: no self-harm, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) only, and NSSI and suicide attempt (NSSI + SA). Methods Data were from the 2007 Minnesota Student Survey. The sample included 61,330 students in grades 9 and 12. Logistic r...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Academic pediatrics 2012-05, Vol.12 (3), p.205-213
Main Authors: Taliaferro, Lindsay A., PhD, MPH, Muehlenkamp, Jennifer J., PhD, Borowsky, Iris W., MD, PhD, McMorris, Barbara J., PhD, Kugler, Kari C., PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
adolescents
Child Abuse
Depression
Female
hopelessness
Humans
Logistic Models
Male
Minnesota - epidemiology
Neonatal and Perinatal Medicine
Pediatrics
Risk Factors
Risk-Taking
self-harm
Self-Injurious Behavior - epidemiology
Self-Injurious Behavior - psychology
self-injury
Sexual Behavior
Social Environment
Students
suicide
Suicide, Attempted - psychology
Suicide, Attempted - statistics & numerical data
Surveys and Questionnaires
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Summary:Abstract Objective To identify factors distinguishing adolescents across 3 groups: no self-harm, nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) only, and NSSI and suicide attempt (NSSI + SA). Methods Data were from the 2007 Minnesota Student Survey. The sample included 61,330 students in grades 9 and 12. Logistic regression analysis determined factors that best distinguished adolescents who reported NSSI from those who reported no self-harm, and adolescents who reported NSSI + SA. Final models were developed over 3 stages of analysis that tested the importance of variables within risk factor, protective factor, and co-occurring health-risk behavior domains. Results For male and female subjects, factors that consistently distinguished youth who reported NSSI from those who reported no self-harm included depressive symptoms, hopelessness, physical abuse, less parent connectedness, running away from home, and maladaptive dieting behavior. Factors that distinguished the NSSI + SA group from the NSSI only group for both sexes were a mental health problem, depressive symptoms, hopelessness, physical abuse, and running away from home. Other factors, such as sexual abuse, were significant in models for males or females only. Hopelessness constituted the leading factor to increase the likelihood that youth who self-injured also attempted suicide. Conclusions Youth engaging in NSSI experience diverse psychosocial stressors and significant distress. Clinicians and school personnel are well-positioned to offer support to these youth. Furthermore, they can help address NSSI among youth by identifying those who self-injure early, assessing for hopelessness and suicidality, facilitating connections to prosocial adults, addressing maladaptive dieting behavior, and supporting runaway youth.
ISSN:1876-2859
1876-2867
DOI:10.1016/j.acap.2012.01.008