Suicidality among adolescents engaging in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and firesetting: the role of psychosocial characteristics and reasons for living.

Alicia K Tanner,Graham Martin,Penelope Hasking

doi:10.1186/s13034-015-0068-1

Abstract

BackgroundCo-occurrence of problem behaviors, particularly across internalizing and externalizing spectra, increases the risk of suicidality (i.e., suicidal ideation and attempt) among youth.MethodsWe examined differences in psychosocial risk factors across levels of suicidality in a sample of 77 school-based adolescents engaging in both nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and repeated firesetting. Participants completed questionnaires assessing engagement in problem behaviors, mental health difficulties, negative life events, poor coping, impulsivity, and suicidality.ResultsAdolescents endorsing suicidal ideation reported greater psychological distress, physical and sexual abuse, and less problem solving/goal pursuit than those with no history of suicidality; adolescents who had attempted suicide reported more severe NSSI, higher rates of victimization and exposure to suicide, relative to those with suicidal ideation but no history of attempt. Additional analyses suggested the importance of coping beliefs in protecting against suicidality.ConclusionsClinical implications and suggestions for future research relating to suicide prevention are discussed.

Highlights

Co-occurrence of problem behaviors, across internalizing and externalizing spectra, increases the risk of suicidality among youth
Several plausible explanations exist for the increased likelihood of suicidality among adolescents with joint histories of Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and firesetting: Tanner et al [25] identified that this group exhibited higher rates of psychological problems [18] and interpersonal stressors [27], increased impulsivity and substance use [29] and more severe self-injury [27]
Statistical assumptions In line with assumptions of performing multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA), linearity between pairs of variables across suicidality was assessed; inspection of the matrix of scatterplots indicated that the assumption of linearity was satisfied

Summary

Methods

We examined differences in psychosocial risk factors across levels of suicidality in a sample of 77 schoolbased adolescents engaging in both nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and repeated firesetting. Participants completed questionnaires assessing engagement in problem behaviors, mental health difficulties, negative life events, poor coping, impulsivity, and suicidality

Results

Background

Method

Discussion

Limitations