Study On The Behavioral Characteristics And Influencing Factors Of Non-suicidal Self-injury In Adolescents

Objectives This study aims to investigate the characteristics of non-suicidal self-injury(NSSI)behaviors and their implicit attitude towards NSSI in clinical adolescents,and to analyze the influencing factors of NSSI behaviors;the predictive effect of influencing factors on adolescents’NSSI behaviors is also analyzed after one month of follow-up.Methods Questionnaire survey and behavioral data collection were conducted among adolescent patients in psychological outpatients of two general hospitals in Shanghai who met diagnostic criteria for NSSI,including demographic data,NSSI behavior,depression,anxiety,childhood abuse,sense of self-worth,borderline personality disorder inclination and implicit attitude towards NSSI.The characteristics of adolescents’NSSI behaviors and its implicit attitude were described,calculating the index of implicit attitude(D-scores)based on reaction time,and the differences in demographic characteristics were analyzed by F test.Multiple linear regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of NSSI behaviors and the predictive effect of influencing factors on NSSI behaviors of adolescents.Results The sample consisted of 102 adolescents,including 87 girls(85.3%),with an average of 14.43±1.511 years.The average score of the self-injury questionnaire was26.71±24.138.The age of adolescents’first self-injury is usually between 11 and 13 years old and the most common way of NSSI was intentionally cutting the skin with a glass or knife.There were significant differences in the severity of adolescents’NSSI behaviors in terms of whether they stayed behind,family economic situation,and whether they had been bullied in school(P<0.05);The average score of D-scores was 0.77±0.906,which was a measure of adolescents’implicit attitude towards NSSI,and there was a significant difference only in gender(P<0.05).The severity of adolescents’NSSI behaviors was significant on the upper margin of implicit attitude towards NSSI(t=1.922,P=0.057),and the implicit attitude towards NSSI had significant difference in the severity of NSSI among adolescents(χ~2=1.975,P=0.048);Multiple linear regression found that after controlling demographic variables,the influencing factors of adolescents’NSSI behaviors were as follows:Whether to stay(B=-0.246,P=0.009,95%CI:-2.663～-0.391),anxiety(B=0.271,P=0.012,95%CI:0.101～0.555),and borderline personality disorder inclination(B=0.295,P=0.005,95%CI:0.009～0.067).After one month’s follow-up,family economic situation and sense of self-worth still had an impact on adolescents’NSSI behaviors within the next month(B=-0.515 P=0.011,95%CI:-4.636～-0.666;B=-0.340,P=0.006,95%CI:-0.340～-0.065).Conclusions The age of adolescents’first self-injury is usually between 11 and 13 years old.“Intentionally cutting their skin with glass or knife”is the most common way of NSSI for adolescents.Whether to stay,anxiety,and borderline personality disorder inclination are the influencing factors of adolescents’NSSI behaviors.Family economic situation and sense of self-worth still affect adolescents’NSSI behaviors within the next month.The implicit attitude toward NSSI could reflect the severity of adolescents’NSSI behavior,and the relationship between the two needs further study.