Parent–Child Communication and NSSI in Depressed Adolescents: The Role of Anxiety and Emotional Intelligence

In recent years, nonssuicidal self-injury (NSSI) has emerged as a critical public health issue among Chinese adolescents. However, the mechanisms contributing to NSSI behaviours remain underexplored. This study examines the roles of parent-adolescent communication, anxiety and emotional intelligence in NSSI behaviours among adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 263 Chinese adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders. Participants completed questionnaires assessing parent-adolescent communication, anxiety, emotional intelligence and NSSI behaviours. (1) Parent-adolescent communication was significantly negatively associated with both anxiety (r = -0.425, p < 0.01) and NSSI behaviours (r = -0.47, p < 0.01) among adolescents with depressive disorders. (2) Anxiety partially mediated the association between parent-adolescent communication and NSSI, while emotional intelligence moderated the link between anxiety and NSSI. The findings suggest that positive parent-adolescent communication not only directly lowers the likelihood of NSSI but also indirectly reduces NSSI behaviours by alleviating anxiety. Furthermore, emotional intelligence plays a crucial moderating role in the association between anxiety and NSSI behaviours, highlighting its importance in developing effective prevention and intervention strategies for adolescents with depressive disorders. These findings offer theoretical insights for designing culturally sensitive mental health interventions.