The dynamic developmental process of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury disclosure: a qualitative study

The dynamic four-stage theoretical model of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury disclosure developed in this study clearly delineates the stage-specific, cyclical, and feedback-driven characteristics of NSSI disclosure. This model innovatively reveals how adolescents continuously navigate psychological trade-offs and adjust their behaviors between shame, situational triggers, disclosure motives, and emotional experiences during the NSSI disclosure process, offering a novel theoretical perspective for understanding NSSI disclosure. Simultaneously, this model can be applied to design personalized support strategies for different stages of self-injury disclosure, enhance the effectiveness of psychological interventions, and reduce the risk of adolescent self-injury.