Parental Expectations, Academic Stress, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among NEET and JEE Aspirants: Examining the Role of Mattering as Moderator

Background: Admission to engineering and medical colleges in India is determined through entrance exams, like Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) and National Eligibility Entrance Test (NEET), with millions of candidates facing rigorous competition.Declining mental health among these students is well documented; however, research on Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) remains limited.The hypothesized model is based on the Integrated Theoretical Model of NSSI, and Meaning in Life theory, which conceptualizes NSSI as emerging from the combination of emotional vulnerability and stress, with mattering as a protective factor, respectively, a moderatedmediation model was examined.Objectives: The current study aimed at testing a hypothesized moderated-mediation model to check the relationship of Academic stress, Perceived Parental Expectations, and Mattering with NSSI among NEET and JEE aspirants.Method: A total of 151 NEET and JEE aspirants (M = 18.45;SD = 1.97) participated in the study.Survey based on standardized questionnaires were used as data collection tool.