Filial Piety Affecting Emerging Adults’ Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Dual Effects via Self-Compassion

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious mental health issues among emerging adults. Despite previous theory positing the potential role of filial piety, a Chinese-culture specific psychosocial factor, in NSSI, yet few studies have investigated the association between them. This study aimed to examine the impacts of reciprocal and authoritarian filial piety (RFP/AFP) on emerging adults' NSSI through positive/negative self-compassion (PSC/NSC). A total of 2,320 Chinese college students (58.6% females) were included. Three waves of longitudinal data were collected with six-month intervals. At Time 1, filial piety, self-compassion and NSSI were assessed. Then, self-compassion was assessed again at Time 2, and NSSI was assessed again at Time 3. Finally, structural equation model was established to test the research hypotheses. Our results indicated that RFP increased NSC and subsequently increased NSSI (β = .007, 95%CI = [.001, .015], <i>p</i> = .018), but predominantly decreased NSSI by increasing PSC (β = -0.014, 95%CI = [-0.023, -0.007], <i>p</i> < .001). Conversely, AFP decreased both PSC (β = .007, 95%CI = [.002, .014], <i>p</i> = .002) and NSC (β = -0.006, 95%CI = [-0.013, -0.001], <i>p</i> = .016), but predominantly increased NSSI more by decreasing PSC. These findings highlight the important role of filial piety in emerging adults' NSSI and elucidate its dual effects on NSSI <i>via</i> self-compassion. Preliminary insights that may inform practical implications were provided by these findings.