Peer Victimization and Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: The Mediating Role of Alienation and Moderating Role of Mindfulness

Suicide attempts and non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese adolescents: Predictive models using a neural network model

INTRODUCTION

Suicide attempts (SA) are a significant contributor to suicide deaths, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) can increase the risk of SA. Many adolescents experience both NSSI and SA, which are affected by various factors. This study aimed to identify the risk factors and essential warning signs of SA, establish a predictive model for SA using multiple dimensions and large samples, and provide a multidimensional perspective for clinical diagnosis and intervention.

METHODS

A total of 9140 participants aged 12-18 years participated in an online survey; 6959 participants were included in the statistical analysis. A multilayer perceptron algorithm was used to establish a prediction model for adolescent SA (with or without); adolescents with NSSI behavior were extracted as a subgroup to establish a prediction model.

RESULTS

Both the prediction model performance of the SA group and the NSSI-SA subgroup were strong, with high accuracy, and AUC values of 0.93 and 0.88, indicating good discrimination. Decision curve analysis (DCA) demonstrated that the clinical intervention value of the prediction results was high and that the clinical intervention benefits of the NSSI-SA subgroup were greater than those of the SA group.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study demonstrated that the predictive model has a high degree of accuracy and discrimination, thereby identifying significant factors associated with adolescent SA. As long as adolescents exhibit NSSI behavior, relative suicide interventions should be implemented to prevent future hazards. This study can provide guidance and more nuanced insights for clinical diagnosis as well as a foundation for clinical treatment.

Involvement in cyberbullying events and empathy are related to emotional responses to simulated social pain tasks

Introduction

This study aims to explore the relationship between cyberbullying involvement either as a perpetrator or a victim and emotional responses to virtual social exclusion and inclusion. Previous research has predominantly focused on the impacts of in-person bullying. Our study shifts this focus to the cyber realm.

Methods

A total of 156 adolescents living in northern Italy were recruited (Mage: 12.26; SD = 0.87; 43% female). After completing measures of empathy and involvement in cyberbullying, adolescents participated in the cyberball tasks. Latent profile analysis was used to identify subgroups.

Results

We found three groups: Class 3, reporting negative responses to the social exclusion tasks and positive responses to the social inclusion tasks; Class 1, reporting neutral emotional responses to social inclusion and negative emotional responses to social exclusion; and Class 2, showing neutral responses to 'social exclusion' tasks and strongly positive responses to 'social inclusion' tasks. Linear regression revealed that cyberbullies report a typical emotional response to exclusion and inclusion tasks (Class 3), whereas cybervictims are more likely to report negative responses to both exclusion and inclusion events (Class 1). High levels of empathy are associated with the manifestation of a typical emotional response (Class 3), in contrast to an impaired emotional response characterized by neutral or positive responses to conditions of 'social exclusion' and positive responses to conditions of 'social inclusion' (Class 2).

Conclusion

Results underscore the complex interplay between cyberbullying roles and emotional responses to virtual social experiences. Theoretical implications and limitations of the research are discussed.

The relationship between cognitive reserve and the spontaneous use of emotion regulation strategies in older adults: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Several studies reported cognitive reserve (CR) as an important factor in promoting healthy aging within a non-clinical aging population.

AIMS

The main goal of the present study is to investigate the link between higher levels of CR and more effective emotion regulation. In more detail, we examine the association between a number of CR proxies and the habitual use of two emotion regulation strategies, cognitive reappraisal and emotional suppression.

METHODS

Three hundred and ten older adults aged between 60 and 75 (mean = 64.45, SD = 4.37; 69.4% female) joined this cross-sectional study by filling out self-report measures of CR and emotion regulation.² RESULTS: Reappraisal and suppression use were correlated. Practicing different leisure activities constantly over many years, being more original and having a higher education promoted more frequent use of cognitive reappraisal. These CR proxies were also significantly related to suppression use, even though the percentage of variance explained was lower.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS

Exploring the role played by the cognitive reserve on different emotion regulation techniques can be useful in understanding which variables predict the use of antecedent-focused (reappraisal) or response-focused (suppression) emotion regulation strategies in aging individuals.

Harsh parenting and adolescent non-suicidal self-injury: A moderated mediation model of alienation and cognitive reappraisal

OBJECTIVE

Harsh parenting has been shown to be associated with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents. Based on the integrated theoretical model of the development of NSSI and the cognitive-emotional model of NSSI, we proposed a moderated mediation model to investigate "how" and "when" harsh parenting is associated with adolescent NSSI. Specifically, we tested whether feelings of alienation mediated the association between harsh parenting and NSSI, and whether this indirect effect was weakened by cognitive reappraisal as an adaptive emotion regulation strategy.

METHODS

A total of 1638 Chinese adolescents (54.7 % girls; ages 12-19 years) completed self-report questionnaires in their classrooms. The questionnaires assessed harsh parenting, feelings of alienation, cognitive reappraisal skills, and incidents of NSSI.

RESULTS

Path analyses showed that harsh parenting positively predicted NSSI, and alienation mediated this association. Both the direct effect of harsh parenting on NSSI and the indirect effect through alienation were moderated by cognitive reappraisal. Specifically, cognitive reappraisal skills weakened the direct and indirect associations between harsh parenting and NSSI.

CONCLUSIONS

Adolescents may benefit from interventions that decrease feelings of alienation and increase cognitive reappraisal strategies to reduce the risk of NSSI in the context of harsh parenting.