Poor Sleep Associates With Recent Nonsuicidal Self-Injury Engagement in Adolescents.

OBJECTIVE/BACKGROUND: Poor sleep has been shown to have multiple negative outcomes during adolescence, in both academic and mental health domains. Several studies have identified the association between poor sleep and suicide risk in adolescents. However, onset of and engagement in nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is also common in this age group, but this behavior has rarely been studied in association with sleep in adolescent samples. In the current study, it was expected that poorer sleep and more symptoms of insomnia would associate with a greater likelihood of recent NSSI engagement and greater NSSI severity.

PARTICIPANTS: Data were collected from 387 community adolescents (mean age = 14.19, SD = 1.08), 9% of whom reported NSSI in the past 6 months. The gender breakdown was about even (52% female) and the majority of the sample was White (88.5%).

METHODS: Adolescent participants were recruited from middle and high schools for a study on mental health and risk behaviors. Researchers visited schools and administered self-report questionnaires to students in large groups. Measures assessed NSSI engagement and severity features, overall sleep quality, and insomnia symptoms.

RESULTS: Results indicated that greater insomnia symptoms, but not overall sleep quality, were significantly associated with greater likelihood of recent NSSI engagement. Sleep variables were not significantly associated with NSSI severity among adolescents with recent NSSI.

CONCLUSIONS: Insomnia symptoms seem to be associated with recent engagement in NSSI. Adolescents who report symptoms of insomnia should also be assessed for self-harm behavior.