Citation

Yang Q, Xie R, Wang D, Li J, Zhang R, Li W, Ding W. Suicide Life Threat. Behav. 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Association of Suicidology, Publisher John Wiley and Sons)

DOI

10.1111/sltb.13046

PMID

38284480

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Sleep problems are a significant risk factor for identifying and preventing suicidal involvement among adolescents. However, there is limited evidence to assess the underlying mechanisms between them. This study investigated the longitudinal relationship between sleep problems and suicidal behavior and examined whether this relationship was moderated by negative emotions, low self-control, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI).

METHODS: From December 2020 onward, we assessed 1214 Chinese secondary school adolescents (60.7% were boys, aged 13-19 years) three times, 6 months apart.

RESULTS: In the direct effects model, sleep problems were found to have a positive impact on adolescent suicidal behavior. In the indirect effects model, we observed that sleep problems were associated with an elevated risk of suicidal behavior through several pathways: one-mediator path of negative emotions, low self-control, and NSSI, respectively; two-mediator path of negative emotions via low self-control, negative emotions via NSSI, and low self-control via NSSI, and three-mediator path from negative emotions to NSSI via low self-control.

CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal study provides evidence that sleep problems in adolescents may increase suicidal behavior by exacerbating negative emotions, weakening self-control, and promoting NSSI. The findings suggest sleep problems should be addressed in suicide prevention and intervention efforts for adolescents.

Language: en

Keywords

adolescents; nonsuicidal self-injury; sleep problems; negative emotions; self-control; suicidal behaviors