Avigal Snir1,2, Alan Apter1, Shira Barzilay1,2, Dana Feldman1,2, Eshkol Rafaeli2, Vladimir Carli3, Camilla Wasserman4,5, Gergö Hadlaczky3, Christina W Hoven4,6, Marco Sarchiapone5, Danuta Wasserman3. 1. 1 1Feinberg Child Study Centre, Schneider Children's Medical Centre, Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. 2. 2 Department of Psychology, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan, Israel. 3. 3 National Centre for Suicide Research and Prevention of Mental Ill-Health (NASP), Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. 4. 4 Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA. 5. 6 Department of Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy. 6. 5 Department of Epidemiology, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-injurious behaviors in adolescence are a serious public health concern. AIMS: The current study aims to expand our understanding of motives for direct self-injurious behaviors (D-SIB). We examined the explicit motives but also the actual antecedents and consequences of D-SIB over time. METHOD: As part of the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) study, adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years from Israel completed self-report questionnaires at baseline, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Decreases in social support predicted later increases in D-SIB, an effect mediated by negative affect. Both peer and parental support also exerted quadratic effects on D-SIB. Thus, low as well as high support predicted subsequent D-SIB. In turn, D-SIB was followed by increased peer and parental support. LIMITATIONS: Our methodology relies on self-reports, affected by social desirability and recall biases. CONCLUSION: The findings support a causal path for the development of D-SIB: from interpersonal distress to emotional distress and then to D-SIB. They also point to interesting avenues regarding subgroupings of adolescents who self-injure depending on their motives. Finally, our results reveal that D-SIB, although of negative import, might paradoxically be effective in serving certain functions such as gaining support from parents and peers.
BACKGROUND: Self-injurious behaviors in adolescence are a serious public health concern. AIMS: The current study aims to expand our understanding of motives for direct self-injurious behaviors (D-SIB). We examined the explicit motives but also the actual antecedents and consequences of D-SIB over time. METHOD: As part of the Saving and Empowering Young Lives in Europe (SEYLE) study, adolescents between the ages of 14 and 18 years from Israel completed self-report questionnaires at baseline, 3-month, and 12-month follow-ups. RESULTS: Decreases in social support predicted later increases in D-SIB, an effect mediated by negative affect. Both peer and parental support also exerted quadratic effects on D-SIB. Thus, low as well as high support predicted subsequent D-SIB. In turn, D-SIB was followed by increased peer and parental support. LIMITATIONS: Our methodology relies on self-reports, affected by social desirability and recall biases. CONCLUSION: The findings support a causal path for the development of D-SIB: from interpersonal distress to emotional distress and then to D-SIB. They also point to interesting avenues regarding subgroupings of adolescents who self-injure depending on their motives. Finally, our results reveal that D-SIB, although of negative import, might paradoxically be effective in serving certain functions such as gaining support from parents and peers.
Entities:
Keywords:
adolescents; direct self-injurious behaviors; longitudinal changes; social support