Citation

Wichstrøm T, Wichstrøm L. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 2024; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2024, American Academy of Child Adolescent Psychiatry, Publisher Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1016/j.jaac.2023.12.013

PMID

38423281

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is rare in childhood but becomes prevalent in adolescence, which suggests that early intervention might be indicated. However, childhood predictors of NSSI in adolescence are largely unknown; thus, identifying these predictors was the aim of this study.

METHOD: In a birth cohort (n=759) of Norwegian children, NSSI at 12, 14, or 16 years of age was regressed on predictors of NSSI at age 6 (i.e., parental factors: depression, parenting stress, hostility/negativity, and emotional availability to the child; child factors: temperamental negative affectivity, emotion regulation, symptoms of emotional and behavioral disorders; and external events: victimization from bullying and serious negative life events). Semistructured clinical interviews with adolescents and their parents were used to assess DSM-5-defined NSSI and NSSI disorder.

RESULTS: NSSI during the preceding 12 months at 12, 14, or 16 years of age was reported by 81 adolescents (10.0%, 95% CI: 8.2, 11.9), and NSSI disorder was reported by 20 adolescents (2.7%, 95% CI: 1.9, 3.8). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, female gender (OR=11.6, 95% CI: 4.0, 33.5), parenting stress (OR=4.8, 95% CI: 1.4, 16.5), and parental hostility/negativity (OR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.2, 2.7) predicted NSSI, whereas child factors and external events did not.

CONCLUSION: Parental factors when the child is 6 years of age-parenting stress and hostility/negativity toward the child-predict NSSI in adolescence. Universal and indicated programs targeting these aspects of parenting during childhood might reduce NSSI in adolescence.

Language: en

Keywords

childhood; nonsuicidal self-injury; parent‒child interaction; parenting stress; prospective