title: Longitudinal effects of psychological symptoms on non-suicidal self-injury: a difference between adolescents and young adults in China.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Few longitudinal studies have examined the psychological symptoms that may lead to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among Chinese adolescents and young adults. This study determined the predictive effects of psychological symptoms for NSSI during a 9-month follow-up period.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 17,622 students, 12-24 years of age, were analyzed in a cross-sectional fashion with respect to associations between psychological symptoms and NSSI. Follow-up surveys were performed 3, 6, and 9 months later. Incident cases of NSSI during follow-up were correlated with the psychological symptoms at baseline.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 3,001 (17.0%) students reported that they had NSSI in the 12 months before the initial assessment. The total rate of NSSI revealed no statistically significant differences by gender, but marked differences between grades. The response rate 3, 6, and 9 months later was 91.8, 81.8, and 79.1%, respectively. Our cross-sectional study demonstrated statistically significant associations between emotional problems, conduct problems, social adaptation problems, psychological problems, and NSSI (P < 0.01). In the longitudinal study, emotional problems, conduct problems, social adaptation problems, and psychological problems at baseline had statistically significant associations with incident NSSI in follow-up involving the adolescents, while the association in young adults was attenuated after adjustment for confounding variables. Moreover, psychological symptoms at baseline showed a monotonic dose-response relationship with NSSI in follow-up involving adolescents.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings suggest that adolescents with psychological symptoms are a group with elevated risks for later NSSI. The prevention programs of NSSI should target attenuating the severity of psychological symptoms.
authors: Department of Maternal, Child and Adolescent Health, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.
authors: Yu-Hui
authors: YH
authors: Wan
authors: Shao-Jun
authors: SJ
authors: Xu
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Chen
authors: Chuan-Lai
authors: CL
authors: Hu
authors: Fang-Biao
authors: FB
authors: Tao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D017677:Age Distribution; D002648:Child; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D001523:Mental Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult