Child Adolesc Psychiatry Ment Health. 2025 Aug 18;19(1):94. doi: 10.1186/s13034-025-00946-w.
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: Although empirical evidence of NSSI contagion within adolescent friendships has been documented, the specific mechanisms remain poorly understood. The current study employed a longitudinal design to investigate the influence of NSSI in adolescents’ peer groups on their own NSSI behaviors. Additionally, the study examined the mediating role of self-esteem and the specific conditions under which NSSI contagion occurs.
METHOD: The study involved 326 adolescents (mean age = 13.5, 59.2% female) nested within 163 friendship dyads. NSSI behavior, self-esteem, self-compassion, alexithymia, and personal distress were assessed at baseline (T1), and NSSI behavior was assessed again after three months (T2). A cross-lagged Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was used to estimate the NSSI contagion model. In this model, self-esteem served as a mediator in the contagion of NSSI behaviors, while alexithymia, self-compassion, and personal distress acted as moderating factors of this mediating effect.
RESULTS: This study revealed that friends’ NSSI status at baseline significantly predicted adolescents’ own NSSI status after three months. Self-esteem was found to mediate the NSSI contagion effect exclusively in situations where adolescents exhibited high alexithymia, low self-compassion, and high personal distress.
CONCLUSIONS: This research highlights the role of adolescent friendships in NSSI contagion and elucidates the potential mediating role of self-esteem in this contagion. These findings may provide substantial implications for the prevention of the NSSI contagion among adolescents.
PMID:40826475 | DOI:10.1186/s13034-025-00946-w
