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Affiliation
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Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, School of Public Health, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA. kzullig@hsc.wvu.edu. |
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Abstract
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OBJECTIVES: The association between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and domain-based life satisfaction reports and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) was explored simultaneously among college students.
METHODS: Randomly selected participants (N = 723) completed an online survey. Relationships among DSH, 7 life satisfaction domains, and HRQOL (as assessed by mean good physical and mental health days, GHDs) were examined through correlational and general linear modeling procedures with post hoc analyses.
RESULTS: DSH was a significant predictor for all life satisfaction domains, overall life satisfaction, and mean GHDs, even after controlling for covariates (p <.0001), with greatest dissatisfaction with friendships and selves. Effect sizes ranged from.42 (living environment) to 1.18 (overall). Students who engaged in DSH reported 15.2 mean GHDs during the past 30 days compared to 20.4 for the referent group (Cohen's d =.63).
CONCLUSIONS: Those engaging in DSH report greatest dissatisfaction with friendships and selves compared to those not engaging in DSH. Surprisingly, DSH was only weakly associated with satisfaction with family, and behind that of satisfaction with physical appearance, school, and romantic relationships. Lastly, those engaging in DSH experience on average 60 fewer GHDs each year than those not engaging in DSH.
Language: en |