Is Self-Injury A Risk Factor For Suicidal Thoughts?

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) appears to be a risk factor for suicidal thoughts and behaviors (STB), according to the results of a recent study.

Previous research has suggested that NSSI is an important correlate of suicide risk. In order to examine whether NSSI is associated with increased risk of STB independent of other mental disorders and whether NSSI is associated with increased risk of suicide attempt, researchers conducted a study using discrete-time survival models based on retrospective age of onset reports from college students (N = 6393).

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Overall, they found that NSSI was associated with increased odds of subsequent suicide idea (OR 2.8), plan (OR 3.0), and attempt (OR 5.5), in models controlling for the distribution of mental disorders. NSSI was also associated with increased risk of transitioning to a plan among those with ideation, and attempt among those with a plan (OR 1.7-2.1). Several characteristics of NSSI, including automatic positive reinforcement and earlier onset, were associated with increased odds of STB.

“This study provides support for the conceptualization of NSSI as a risk factor for STB. Investigation of the underlying pathways accounting for these time-ordered associations is an important avenue for future research.”

—Michael Potts

Reference:

Kiekens G, Hasting P, Boyes M, et al. The associations between non-suicidal self-injury and first onset suicidal thoughts and behaviors [published online July 2, 2018]. J Affect Disord. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2018.06.033