Non-suicidal self-injury among youth: An examination of psychosocial factors

BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the intentional and direct harm to one's own body without suicidal intent, has emerged as a significant public health concern among adolescents. Despite its high prevalence and strong association with mental health disorders, demographic and psychosocial predictors remain underexplored, particularly in diverse populations in the United States of America. METHODS: The investigators analysed cross-sectional data from the 2020 Parents' Resource Institute for Drug Education (PRIDE) survey, encompassing 35 695 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years from 133 schools in the greater Cincinnati, Ohio area. Multivariate logistic regression models were employed to examine associations between past-30-day NSSI and mental health factors (depression, anxiety), psychosocial stressors (bullying, stress), and demographic variables (age, sex, race/ethnicity). RESULTS: Approximately 6.2% of youth reported past-month NSSI. Female adolescents (aOR: 1.45), Hispanic (aOR: 1.37) and multi-racial youth (aOR: 1.30) were at elevated risk for NSSI. Younger adolescents (12 to 13 years) had higher odds of NSSI compared to older peers. Depression (aOR: 14.2), anxiety (aOR: 1.99), bullying (aOR: 3.93), and stress (aOR: 1.70) were all significantly associated with increased NSSI risk. CONCLUSIONS: In this study, NSSI affected over 1 in 20 adolescents and was strongly linked to mental health distress and social adversity. Our findings highlight the need for early, targeted, and culturally sensitive interventions that address both individual psychological vulnerability and broader psychosocial stressors in youth populations.