NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence
Abstract Objective Although empirical evidence of NSSI contagion within adolescent friendships has been documented, the specific mechanisms remain poorly understood. The current study employed a longitudinal design to investigate the influence of NSSI in adolescents’ peer groups on their own NSSI be...
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BMC
2025-08-01
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| Series: | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00946-w |
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| author | Chunxi Ke Zhiruo Zhou Zhixuan Ren Xiaoshu Li Hairuo He Yafei Chen Mengjun Liu Yunheng Yao Yumeng Ju Yan Zhang |
| author_facet | Chunxi Ke Zhiruo Zhou Zhixuan Ren Xiaoshu Li Hairuo He Yafei Chen Mengjun Liu Yunheng Yao Yumeng Ju Yan Zhang |
| author_sort | Chunxi Ke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Objective Although empirical evidence of NSSI contagion within adolescent friendships has been documented, the specific mechanisms remain poorly understood. The current study employed a longitudinal design to investigate the influence of NSSI in adolescents’ peer groups on their own NSSI behaviors. Additionally, the study examined the mediating role of self-esteem and the specific conditions under which NSSI contagion occurs. Method The study involved 326 adolescents (mean age = 13.5, 59.2% female) nested within 163 friendship dyads. NSSI behavior, self-esteem, self-compassion, alexithymia, and personal distress were assessed at baseline (T1), and NSSI behavior was assessed again after three months (T2). A cross-lagged Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was used to estimate the NSSI contagion model. In this model, self-esteem served as a mediator in the contagion of NSSI behaviors, while alexithymia, self-compassion, and personal distress acted as moderating factors of this mediating effect. Results This study revealed that friends’ NSSI status at baseline significantly predicted adolescents’ own NSSI status after three months. Self-esteem was found to mediate the NSSI contagion effect exclusively in situations where adolescents exhibited high alexithymia, low self-compassion, and high personal distress. Conclusions This research highlights the role of adolescent friendships in NSSI contagion and elucidates the potential mediating role of self-esteem in this contagion. These findings may provide substantial implications for the prevention of the NSSI contagion among adolescents. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-99bcc4de1cf0464daeba1f2ceb9a8017 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1753-2000 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health |
| spelling | doaj-art-99bcc4de1cf0464daeba1f2ceb9a80172025-08-24T11:08:29ZengBMCChild and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health1753-20002025-08-0119111110.1186/s13034-025-00946-wNSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influenceChunxi Ke0Zhiruo Zhou1Zhixuan Ren2Xiaoshu Li3Hairuo He4Yafei Chen5Mengjun Liu6Yunheng Yao7Yumeng Ju8Yan Zhang9Department of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityXiangya School of Medicine, Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityXiangya School of Medicine, Central South UniversityXiangya School of Medicine, Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityDepartment of Psychiatry, National Clinical Research Center for Mental Disorders, and National Center for Mental Disorders, The Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South UniversityAbstract Objective Although empirical evidence of NSSI contagion within adolescent friendships has been documented, the specific mechanisms remain poorly understood. The current study employed a longitudinal design to investigate the influence of NSSI in adolescents’ peer groups on their own NSSI behaviors. Additionally, the study examined the mediating role of self-esteem and the specific conditions under which NSSI contagion occurs. Method The study involved 326 adolescents (mean age = 13.5, 59.2% female) nested within 163 friendship dyads. NSSI behavior, self-esteem, self-compassion, alexithymia, and personal distress were assessed at baseline (T1), and NSSI behavior was assessed again after three months (T2). A cross-lagged Actor-Partner Interdependence Model (APIM) was used to estimate the NSSI contagion model. In this model, self-esteem served as a mediator in the contagion of NSSI behaviors, while alexithymia, self-compassion, and personal distress acted as moderating factors of this mediating effect. Results This study revealed that friends’ NSSI status at baseline significantly predicted adolescents’ own NSSI status after three months. Self-esteem was found to mediate the NSSI contagion effect exclusively in situations where adolescents exhibited high alexithymia, low self-compassion, and high personal distress. Conclusions This research highlights the role of adolescent friendships in NSSI contagion and elucidates the potential mediating role of self-esteem in this contagion. These findings may provide substantial implications for the prevention of the NSSI contagion among adolescents.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00946-wNSSI contagionAdolescent friendshipSelf-esteemAlexithymiaSelf-compassionPersonal distress |
| spellingShingle | Chunxi Ke Zhiruo Zhou Zhixuan Ren Xiaoshu Li Hairuo He Yafei Chen Mengjun Liu Yunheng Yao Yumeng Ju Yan Zhang NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health NSSI contagion Adolescent friendship Self-esteem Alexithymia Self-compassion Personal distress |
| title | NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence |
| title_full | NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence |
| title_fullStr | NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence |
| title_full_unstemmed | NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence |
| title_short | NSSI contagion in adolescent friendships: exploring the impact of peer influence |
| title_sort | nssi contagion in adolescent friendships exploring the impact of peer influence |
| topic | NSSI contagion Adolescent friendship Self-esteem Alexithymia Self-compassion Personal distress |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13034-025-00946-w |
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