De Luca L, Pastore M, Palladino BE, Reime B, Warth P, Menesini E. The development of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) during adolescence: A systematic review and Bayesian meta-analysis.
J Affect Disord 2023;
339:648-659. [PMID:
37479039 DOI:
10.1016/j.jad.2023.07.091]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND
Despite a surge in research on self-injury in the last decade, a summary of research findings about the development of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) over time in community youth samples is not yet present in the scientific literature. This study aims to summarize the empirical literature on this topic, examining both the occurrence (Study 1) and frequency (Study 2) of NSSI over time, and for this reason, a Systematic Review and Bayesian Meta-Analysis were conducted.
METHODS
Following the PRISMA guidelines, the longitudinal studies included in the systematic review consisted of 41 papers (Study 1 = 16; Study 2 = 25). Only studies with available data were included in the meta-analysis (Study 1 = 12; Study 2 = 11).
RESULTS
First, the findings highlight limits related to methodological aspects, the design of the studies, and the availability of data. Meta-analytic results shows that across development, the frequency (i.e., not the occurrence) of NSSI increases for the group of younger adolescents, remains stable in the group of middle adolescents, and it decreases for older adolescents.
LIMITATIONS
This study highlights some limitations that can be summarized in three different macro categories: the first refers to methodological aspects (e.g., the lifetime prevalence of NSSI), the second to the design of the studies (e.g., not homogeneous cohort; short-term covered), and the third to the availability of data.
CONCLUSIONS
The current meta-analysis tries to shed light on the longitudinal research on NSSI behavior and how this behavior develops in terms of both occurrence and frequency, providing practical and methodological indications for future research.
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