Coping and Psychopathological Profile in Nonsuicidal Self-Injurious Chilean Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE: The aims of this study were to establish the roles of coping typologies and the psychological problems associated with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and to identify adolescents who are at greater risk of engaging in this practice.

METHOD: The total sample comprised 965 adolescents (57% girls, aged 12-18 years) from several Chilean schools who answered the Inventory of Statements About Self-Injury questionnaire.

RESULTS: Young people with and without NSSI present different coping patterns, especially when compared by gender. Adolescents with repetitive NSSI (R-NSSI) report using escape, search for friendship, and venting feelings as coping strategies as well as a more avoidant style and less search for family support than those adolescents without NSSI. Adolescents who present avoidance coping typology are three times more likely (relative risk = 3.5) to engage in NSSI than adolescents who present approach coping typology. R-NSSI adolescents present higher scores on psychological symptomatology (within clinical ranges) than their N-NSSI counterparts. Girls were more likely to present psychological symptoms than boys.

CONCLUSION: The authors highlight the usefulness of coping typologies for the detection of high-risk populations for NSSI as well as the need to consider the gender variable. Professionals who detect clinical levels of symptomatology should also assess the presence of NSSI.