FACTORS ASSOCIATED WITH NON-SUICIDAL SELF-INJURY AMONG LATE ADOLESCENTS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.14456/lsej.2025.19Keywords:
non-suicidal self-injury, negative life events, mental health problems, mental health literacyAbstract
This descriptive correlational study aimed to examine the relationships between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among late adolescents and personal factors, negative life events, mental health problems, and mental health literacy. The participants were 136 adolescents aged 15 – 19 years who were studying at a high school in the central region of Thailand. The research instruments included: (1) a personal information questionnaire, (2) the Self-Harm Inventory (SHI), (3) the Stressful Life Events Questionnaire, (4) the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS-21), and (5) the Mental Health Literacy Questionnaire for Young People (MHLq-YP). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and point-biserial correlation. The results showed that 45.59% of the participants (n = 62) had engaged in NSSI. Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among late adolescents showed a significant positive correlation with: mental health problems (rpb = 0.652, p < .001); negative life events (rpb = 0.557, p < .001); problem behaviors, such as smoking (rpb = 0.360, p < .001) and alcohol consumption (rpb = 0.357, p < .001); and physical symptoms (rpb = 0.419, p < .001). In contrast, mental health literacy regarding self-help strategies was negatively associated with non-suicidal self-injury among late adolescents (rpb = -0.265, p = .003).
This study highlights the importance of promoting mental health, reducing risky behaviors, and enhancing mental health literacy among adolescents as a preventive approach for the future.
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