OBJECTIVE: To examine the personality traits of Chinese adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempt (SA). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on 2 131 middle school students in Dujiangyan city was conducted using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ, Children's Version) and Self- harm Behaviors Questionnaire (SHQ). The sample was stratified selected, comprising 1 085 boys and 1 046 girls with an average age of (13. 92±1. 63) years. The study population was categorized into four groups according to their non-suicidal and suicidal behaviors measured by the SHQ: those without self-harm (NoSH), those with non suicidal self-injury exclusively (NSSI only), those only with suicide attempts (SA only) and those with both NSSI and SA (NSSI+ SA). A MANCOVA model was constructed, with age and gender treated as covariates. We compared the four subscales of EPQ (Neuroticism, Psychoticism, Extraversion, Lie) between the four groups of study populations. RESULTS: NSSI was reported by 23. 2% (n 494) of respondents, and 3. 2% (n= 68) reported having at least one SA. A total of 1 617 (75.88%) respondents were identified as NoSH; 446 (20. 93%) as NSSI only; 20 (0.94%) as SA only, and 48 (2.25%) as NSSI+SA. Psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism were risk factors for self-harm behaviors. The NSSI+ SA group showed significantly higher psychoticism scores than respondents only with NSSI (P<0. 008 3,d=0. 59). The NSSI+SA group had a higher extraversion score than the NSSI group (P>0. 008 3,d=0. 38). CONCLUSION: Personality traits are closely associated with self-harm behaviors. Prevention of self harm behaviors should consider personality characteristics of middle school students.
OBJECTIVE: To examine the personality traits of Chinese adolescents with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempt (SA). METHODS: A cross-sectional survey on 2 131 middle school students in Dujiangyan city was conducted using the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (EPQ, Children's Version) and Self- harm Behaviors Questionnaire (SHQ). The sample was stratified selected, comprising 1 085 boys and 1 046 girls with an average age of (13. 92±1. 63) years. The study population was categorized into four groups according to their non-suicidal and suicidal behaviors measured by the SHQ: those without self-harm (NoSH), those with non suicidal self-injury exclusively (NSSI only), those only with suicide attempts (SA only) and those with both NSSI and SA (NSSI+ SA). A MANCOVA model was constructed, with age and gender treated as covariates. We compared the four subscales of EPQ (Neuroticism, Psychoticism, Extraversion, Lie) between the four groups of study populations. RESULTS: NSSI was reported by 23. 2% (n 494) of respondents, and 3. 2% (n= 68) reported having at least one SA. A total of 1 617 (75.88%) respondents were identified as NoSH; 446 (20. 93%) as NSSI only; 20 (0.94%) as SA only, and 48 (2.25%) as NSSI+SA. Psychoticism, extraversion, and neuroticism were risk factors for self-harm behaviors. The NSSI+ SA group showed significantly higher psychoticism scores than respondents only with NSSI (P<0. 008 3,d=0. 59). The NSSI+SA group had a higher extraversion score than the NSSI group (P>0. 008 3,d=0. 38). CONCLUSION: Personality traits are closely associated with self-harm behaviors. Prevention of self harm behaviors should consider personality characteristics of middle school students.