Retrospective Analysis of Social Factors and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Among Young Adults

Retrospective reports of social influences in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) with regard to initiation, disclosure, methods, and motivations for engaging in the behaviour were examined in 23 (2 male, 21 female) self-injuring university students. Parent and peer social support was compared between the NSSI group and a comparison group that did not engage in NSSI. Lifetime frequency of NSSI and social support were evaluated. NSSI behaviours were found to be highly socially influenced in several ways, with 65% reporting that they talk to their friends about self-injury, 58.8% indicating that a friend had been the first to engage in self-injury, and 17.4% had self-injured in front of friends. Almost all participants endorsed emotional motivations for engaging in NSSI (91%); however, social motivations were also common (65.2%). Social support from peers was less for the NSSI group than the non-NSSI group, although social support was not found to be related to lifetime frequency of NSSI. The implications for understanding NSSI as a socially influenced behaviour are discussed.