Suicide attempts in adolescent inpatients with non-suicidal self-injury: a study of sociodemographic, clinical and psychopathological characteristics

Suicidal and non-suicidal self-injury are increasingly prevalent among youths. Suicide is the second leading cause of death in this population. Improving prevention requires accurate identification of suicide attempt risk in patients with NSSI. We conducted a retrospective observational study based on medical records of 232 inpatients (aged 9–17) with NSSI, admitted to the Child and Adolescent Neuropsychiatry Unit at the University Hospital of Padua from 2015 to 2023, comparing individuals with and without a suicide attempt. Our findings highlight the importance of a multidimensional assessment (clinical history, medical comorbidities, social functioning) in evaluating suicide risk, and emphasize the role of family environment in the onset and severity of self-injury behaviors and the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic in highlighting family vulnerabilities.