Juanchan Mo1, Chenxu Wang1, Xiaoxiao Niu2, Xuji Jia3, Tuo Liu3, Lin Lin4. 1. Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China. 2. Division of Psychology and Language Sciences, University College London, London, United Kingdom. 3. Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China; Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China. 4. Faculty of Psychology, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China; Key Research Base of Humanities and Social Sciences of the Ministry of Education, Academy of Psychology and Behavior, Tianjin Normal University, Tianjin, China. Electronic address: linlin@tjnu.edu.cn.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Self-injury is one of the strongest predictors of suicide. Undergraduates have been recognized as one of the populations with the highest incidence of self-injury. A substantial body of literature has documented the important influence of impulsivity on self-injury. However, few studies have focused on the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. Based on the stress generation hypothesis and the affect-regulation model of self-injury, this study constructed a chain mediating model to examine whether stressful life events and negative affect mediated the relationship between impulsivity and self-injury among Chinese undergraduates. METHODS: A total of 2270 undergraduates (69.8% female, mean age = 19 years) were recruited to participate in this study and completed self-report measures of impulsivity, self-injury, stressful life events and negative affect. RESULTS: (1) There were significant positive correlations among impulsivity, stressful life events, negative affect and self-injury. (2) After controlling for the effect of gender, impulsivity still had a significant positive effect on self-injury. (3) Undergraduates' self-injury was affected by impulsivity partly through 3 different pathways: the mediating role of stressful life events, the mediating role of negative affect, and the chain mediating role of both stressful life events and negative affect. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the risk factors for self-injury. Impulsivity, stressful life events, and negative affect might increase the occurrence of self-injury. In addition, the chain mediating effect of stressful life events and negative affect plays an important role in the occurrence of self-injury.
BACKGROUND:Self-injury is one of the strongest predictors of suicide. Undergraduates have been recognized as one of the populations with the highest incidence of self-injury. A substantial body of literature has documented the important influence of impulsivity on self-injury. However, few studies have focused on the mediating mechanisms underlying this relationship. Based on the stress generation hypothesis and the affect-regulation model of self-injury, this study constructed a chain mediating model to examine whether stressful life events and negative affect mediated the relationship between impulsivity and self-injury among Chinese undergraduates. METHODS: A total of 2270 undergraduates (69.8% female, mean age = 19 years) were recruited to participate in this study and completed self-report measures of impulsivity, self-injury, stressful life events and negative affect. RESULTS: (1) There were significant positive correlations among impulsivity, stressful life events, negative affect and self-injury. (2) After controlling for the effect of gender, impulsivity still had a significant positive effect on self-injury. (3) Undergraduates' self-injury was affected by impulsivity partly through 3 different pathways: the mediating role of stressful life events, the mediating role of negative affect, and the chain mediating role of both stressful life events and negative affect. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the risk factors for self-injury. Impulsivity, stressful life events, and negative affect might increase the occurrence of self-injury. In addition, the chain mediating effect of stressful life events and negative affect plays an important role in the occurrence of self-injury.