Predictors of NSSI among New Zealand university
students: Cross-lag panel correlations between
NSSI and various inter- and
intrapersonal risk and protective factors.
Jessica Garisch, PhD
Marc Wilson, Associate Professor
Overview
 NSSI


Self-performed, deliberate destruction of body tissue without suicidal intent.
No accepted within person’s culture.
Methodology
 Participants (surveyed twice, c. 4 months apart)
 Matched sample: 322 (223 female) (mean age: 19.90 years, SD 5.76)
 Measures
 Deliberate self-harm inventory (7 items)
 Toronto Alexithymia Scale (9 items)
 Zung depression and anxiety scales (3 items each)
 Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale (2 items)
 Cognitive and Affective Mindfulness Scale – Revised (3 items)
 4 items assessing substance abuse
 Barrett Impulsivity Scale II (6 items)
 Resilience measure (3 items)
 Schutte (adaptive use of emotions) (12 items)
Findings: Prevalence
 Lifetime prevalence (at T1 in 1st year of survey; N= 593):


Females: 46.1%
Males: 38.4%
 Between the survey administrations 17.3% of participants
(N=322) reported having engaged in NSSI
Correlations
 Correlations between T1 predictor variables and T2
NSSI
T1 Predictor
T2 NSSI
Alexithymia
.34***
Self-esteem
-.18**
Depression
.40**
Anxiety
.34***
Resilience
-.31***
Mindfulness
-.34***
Impulsivity
.19***
**p<.01; ***p<.001
Cross-lag correlations: Direct relationship
T1
T2
T1
T2
.34***
NSSI
NSSI
.36***
NSSI
.17***
.13*
.11***
.04
Depression
Depression
.50***
Anxiety
NSSI
Anxiety
.63***
**p<.01; ***p<.001
Cross-lag correlations: Direct relationship
.37***
NSSI
NSSI
.12**
.55***
.20**
Anxiety
.43***
NSSI
.20***
.11 ͣ
Depression
Depressive
symptoms
.10 ͣ
-.01
Anxiety
?
Depression
Anxious
symptoms
ͣ p<.10; *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001
Cross-lag correlations: Direct relationship
T1
T2
T1
NSSI
NSSI
T2
.37***
NSSI
.35***
-.12*
-.23*
-.02
-.03 ͣ
Self-esteem
.80***
Self-esteem
Resilience
T1
T2
.35***
NSSI
NSSI
-.08*
mindfulness
.61***
Resilience
1. NSSI results in...
↓ Self-esteem
↓ Resilience
↓ Mindfulness
-.14**
mindfulness
.42***
NSSI
2. Low mindfulness
linked to future NSSI
ͣ p<.10; *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001
Cross-lag correlations: Travel alongside
T1
T2
.33***
NSSI
NSSI
T1
NSSI
.04
T2
.35***
-.07 ͣ
NSSI
-.00
.05
Alexithymia
Alexithymia
.68***
T1
.40***
NSSI
Adaptive
use of
emotions
T2
T1
NSSI
NSSI
Adaptive
use of
.54*** emotions
T2
.37***
.01
.04
.06 ͣ
Substance
abuse
NSSI
.03
Substance
.92*** abuse
Impulsivity
Impulsivity
.74***
ͣ p<.10; *p<.05; **p<.01; ***p<.001
Implications for treatment
 What are the active ingredients in change?

Correlates: not all causal + necessary targets for therapy

Addressing the direct causal factors will potentially have a knockon effect on other risk factors that travel alongside NSSI
Implications for treatment: DBT
 Importance of stabilising mood
 Distress Tolerance
 Emotion regulation
 Importance of mindfulness
 Regular mindfulness practice
 Wise mind v. Emotion mind
Summary
 Depression and mindfulness were directly linked to higher
rates of NSSI over time.
 NSSI was directly linked to greater symptoms of anxiety,
depression, lower self-esteem, lower resilience and lower
mindfulness over time.
 Alexithymia, adaptive use of emotions, impulsivity and
substance abuse did not have a significant direct
relationship with NSSI over time, or vice versa.
 Depression and mindfulness as key targets in interventions