Does Mental Well-Being Protect against Self-Harm Thoughts and Behaviors during Adolescence? A Six-Month Prospective Investigation

Abstract

Mental well-being protects against the emergence of suicidal thoughts. However, it is not clear whether these findings extend to self-harm thoughts and behaviors irrespective of intent during adolescence—or why this relationship exists. The current study aimed to test predictions—informed by the integrated motivational–volitional (IMV) model of suicide—concerning the role of perceived defeat and entrapment within the link between mental well-being and self-harm risk. Young people (n = 573) from secondary schools across Scotland completed an anonymous self-report survey at two time points, six months apart, that assessed mental well-being, self-harm thoughts and behaviors, depressive symptomology and feelings of defeat and entrapment. Mental well-being was associated with reduced defeat and entrapment (internal and external) and a decrease in the likelihood that a young person would engage in self-harm thoughts and behaviors. The relationship between mental well-being and thoughts of self-harm was mediated by perceptions of defeat and entrapment (internal and external). Mental well-being was indirectly related to self-harm behaviors via decreased feelings of defeat and internal (but not external) entrapment. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the psychological processes linking mental well-being and self-harm risk and highlight the importance of incorporating the promotion of mental well-being within future prevention and early intervention efforts.

Why do adolescents attempt suicide? Insights from leading ideation-to-action suicide theories: a systematic review

“…Second, pre-motivational risk factors are likely to increase sensitivity to defeat or humiliation, which often may reflect social rejection and loss [ 19 ]. Supporting this hypothesis, a cross-sectional and longitudinal study showed that pre-motivational factors (i.e., poor sleep health, reduced mental well-being) associated with feelings of defeat (i.e., perceived failed struggle, loss of social rank) [ 83 , 84 ]. Additionally, within the IMV framework, ideators and enactors do not necessarily differ on these pre-motivational risk factors.…”

Improving the Field’s Understanding of Suicide Protective Factors and Translational Suicide Prevention Initiatives

“…The presence of positive future thinking such as hope is a clear correlate of indicators of mental well-being in a variety of samples [4]. Russel, Rasmussen, and Hunter [5] extend research on mental well-being and risk of STBs in a longitudinal sample of adolescents assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up. Their investigation demonstrates that mental well-being appears protective against eventual thoughts of self-harm and self-harm behaviors through a reduction in feelings of defeat and entrapment.…”

Smaller putamen volumes are associated with greater problems in external emotional regulation in depressed adolescents with nonsuicidal self-injury

“…Previous studies have demonstrated that depressive symptoms, loneliness, academic defeat, and poor family environment had effects on NSSI behaviors (Hawton et al, 2013;Nemati et al, 2020;Russell et al, 2020;Wang et al, 2020b). These factors were also associated with cortical and subcortical brain areas, which might bias the association between brain structure and NSSI.…”