title: Motivation for and use of social networking sites: Comparisons among college students with and without histories of non-suicidal self-injury.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This research examines potential differences in social network use and motivation for social network use by non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) status.
  
  
  METHODS
  367 (73% women; Mage= 20.60) college students were recruited in November-December 2011.
  
  
  METHODS
  A random sample of 2,500 students was accessed through a university registrar to recruit students interested in an online survey assessing NSSI and various health-related behaviors.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Social network use and motivations for social networks did not differ by NSSI status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Results suggest that it is not patterns of use or motivation to use social networks that could lead to concern about online behavior (i.e., behavior increasing risk of future NSSI) among those with NSSI history. Rather, future preventive and intervention efforts should address the NSSI-related content that is available online, since this is unregulated, often explicit, and commonly includes "pro-NSSI" content that may be problematic and increase risk among vulnerable individuals.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Suffolk University , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Stephanie M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Jarvi
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Suffolk University , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Lance P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Swenson
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychology , Suffolk University , Boston , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Kristen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Batejan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001364:Awareness; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: College students; Internet; NSSI; non-suicidal self-injury; online; social network