Objective: This study aimed to investigate whether anxiety mediates the relationship between negative life events and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents and whether this mediating role is moderated through social support.
Methods: The model consisted of an anonymous questionnaire survey of 506 Chinese adolescents (253 boys and 253 girls, mean age 15.11 years (SD = 1.83, range 11– 18 years)). Self-designed questionnaires were used to collect demographic data. The frequency of NSSI, state anxiety, and social support degree of adolescents was assessed by the Adolescent Life Events Scale, the Chinese version of the Beck Anxiety Inventory, and the social support scale, respectively.
Results: Negative life events were significantly and positively correlated with anxiety and the frequency of NSSI, and anxiety was significantly and positively correlated with the frequency of NSSI. The positive association between negative life events and the frequency of NSSI among adolescents was mediated by anxiety after controlling for demographic variables. Furthermore, this mediated relationship was moderated by social support.
Conclusion: Anxiety was a potential mechanism linking negative life events to NSSI in adolescents and low social support important risk factor for amplifying this indirect effect. Our findings provide an empirical basis for reducing NSSI in adolescents.
Keywords: adolescent, non-suicidal self-injury, negative life events, social support