Behavioral risk factors of non-suicidal self-injurious behavior in a community sample of adolescents

Abstract

This study examined group differences of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents
on four behavioral risk factors: risk behaviors, peer victimization, substance use, and
weight related behaviors. It was hypothesized that adolescents who engaged in NSSI
within the past year would endorse more risk behaviors than adolescents who did not
engage in NSSI. It was further hypothesized that the higher the frequency with which an
adolescent engaged in NSSI, the more risk factors they would report. Frequency was
divided into three groups: "more frequently" (6 + times in the past year), "less
frequently" (1-5 times in the past year) and "no engagement in NSSI." Data were
collected from a sample of 4,786 public high school students in a rural area. Analyses
were completed twice, once excluding adolescents who reported having made a suicide
attempt and second including these adolescents. Results indicated that for both samples
(including/excluding students with suicide attempts), participants with a history ofNSSI
in the past year reported more risk behaviors than those with no history. Similarly, there
were significant differences on risk factors across NSSI frequency groups for both
samples. However, there were only significant pair-wise differences between the more
and less frequent group in the complete sample, with the more frequent NSSI group
reporting higher levels of risk behaviors. Directions for future research are discussed.
Findings from the study bring attention to the need for positive coping skills to be taught
in public high schools.

Date of Award	2011
Original language	American English
Awarding Institution	Eastern Illinois University
Supervisor	Amy Brausch (Supervisor)