The Influence of Adolescents’ Negative Peer Relationship on Non-suicidal Self-injury : Focusing on the Moderated Mediating Effect of Anxiety by Household Economic Status

As the problem of non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents is becoming more serious, there is a need to establish an empirical basis for intervention strategies by identifying influencing factors. Accordingly, this study tests the influence of negative peer relationship on non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents and the moderated mediating effect of anxiety according to household economic level. This study utilized the PROCESS Macro method and data from the Korean Teenagers’ Mental Health Study. As a result of the analysis, negative peer relationship had a positive influence on non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents. Also, a partial mediating effect of anxiety was found. In that, the level of negative peer relationship increased the level of anxiety, which, in turn, increased the level of non-suicidal self-injury. In addition, the mediating effect of anxiety was moderated by household economic status. The mediating effect of anxiety became larger as the level of household economic status decreased. However, there was no difference according to household economic status in the direct influence of negative peer relationship on non-suicidal self-injury. Lastly, this study proposes strategies to intervene in the problem of non-suicidal self-injury among adolescents through their peer relationship.