PURPOSE: To explore associations among psychological resilience, self-esteem, social support, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors in adolescents receiving inpatient psychiatric care.
METHOD: In this cross-sectional study, 505 Chinese adolescents (aged 10 to 19 years) receiving inpatient psychiatric care completed a general characteristics questionnaire, the Psychological Resilience Scale (PRS), Self-Esteem Scale (SES), and Child and Adolescent Social Support Scale (CASSS). Statistical tests were used to compare NSSI incidence, scale scores, and factors influencing NSSI.
RESULTS: The incidence rate of NSSI was 77.82% (n = 393). Total and dimension scores on the PRS, SES, and CASSS in the NSSI group were significantly lower than those in the non NSSI group (p < 0.01). Binary logistic multifactorial regression analysis showed that participants who were female and aged 10 to 14 years were more prone to NSSI behavior (p < 0.05). Having close friends, high parental expectations, and moderate to high self-esteem were protective factors for NSSI behavior (p < 0.05).
CONCLUSION: Nursing personnel should prioritize enhancing psychological resilience, self-esteem, and social support in adolescents receiving inpatient psychiatric care to mitigate the risk of NSSI and ensure the safety of hospitalized individuals.