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Predictors of Onset for Non-suicidal Self-injury Within a School-Based Sample of Adolescents

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Abstract

This paper reports on a prospective study exploring risk factors specifically related to the onset of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) during adolescence. We examined cumulative incidence and predictors of onset of NSSI over 1 year among 1,973 school-based adolescents (13–19 years old; M = 14.9, SD = 0.96) from five states in Australia. Data showed cumulative incidence of 3.8 % (95 % CI [3.0–4.7 %]) over 1 year. Multiple socio-demographic and psychosocial factors were assessed using sequential logistic regression models. Onset of NSSI was associated with being female (OR = 3.47, 95 % CI [1.48–8.18]), being born outside of Australia (OR = 3.05, 95 % CI [1.10–8.47]), not identifying as religious or spiritual (OR = 1.80, 95 % CI [1.04–3.10]), increased psychological distress (OR = 1.12, 95 % CI [1.08–1.16]), poor social support from family (OR = 0.89, 95 % CI [0.83–0.95]), poor self-esteem (OR = 0.90, 95 % CI [0.83–0.98]), and poor problem-solving coping (OR = 0.90, 95 % CI [0.82–0.99]). These findings may assist to better identify young people more likely to start self-injuring and also highlight issues to provide a focus for prevention initiatives.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported by the Australian Research Council (PI: Penelope Hasking and Graham Martin). The authors acknowledge the efforts of Sophie Aitken, Emily Berger, Terryn Callaway, Lauren Friend, Cassie Rotolone, Grace Skrzpiec, Alica Tanner, and David Voon for their efforts in data collection and data entry.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry, University of Queensland, Mental Health Center, Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, 4029, Australia

    Tori Andrews & Graham Martin

  2. School of Psychology and Psychiatry, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, Victoria, 3800, Australia

    Penelope Hasking

  3. School of Population Health, University of Queensland, Herston, Brisbane, Queensland, 4029, Australia

    Andrew Page

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  1. Tori Andrews
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Correspondence to Tori Andrews.

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Andrews, T., Martin, G., Hasking, P. et al. Predictors of Onset for Non-suicidal Self-injury Within a School-Based Sample of Adolescents. Prev Sci 15, 850–859 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11121-013-0412-8

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