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Predicting Persistence of Nonsuicidal Self‐Injury in Suicidal Adolescents

Year: 2015

Type: article

Abstract: Prospective predictors of persistent nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) were examined in adolescents admitted to an inpatient psychiatric unit for suicidal behaviors and followed naturalistically for 6 months. Seventy-one (77%) participants reported NSSI at baseline, and 40 (56%) persisted at the 6 month follow-up. Those who endorsed automatic positive reinforcement (APR) as the predominant reason for NSSI were more likely to persist in NSSI. Depression over follow-up, but not at baseline, also predicted persistence. These results suggest that helping high-risk adolescents to identify alternative ways of generating emotion(s) to counter the effects of APR that may accompany NSSI should be a high priority treatment target.

Source: Suicide and Life-Threatening Behavior

DOI: 10.1111/sltb.12167