Choice of NSSI methods and conflict in the home during adolescence do not predict the likelihood of NSSI continuation in adulthood

Research has previously found that interpersonal factors, motivation, familial and social support, and lower psychological distress were related to non-suicidal self-injury cessation. Additionally, little research has examined if higher conflict in the home relates to cessation or continuation and frequency of adolescent non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. While a range of research has found that conflict in homes leads to negative outcomes for children, the role it plays in non-suicidal self-injury behaviours has been minimally examined. The present research aimed to investigate whether method of non-suicidal self-injury used during adolescence, e.g., cutting or hitting, predicted frequency, continuation, or cessation of non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. A further aim was to examine the role of conflict in the home during adolescence upon frequency, cessation, or continuation of non-suicidal self-injury in adulthood. The 722 participants were Australians aged between 18 and 61 years. Multiple logistic regressions examined the relationships between method of non-suicidal self-injury and type of conflict in the home on non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation. It was found that no method significantly predicted non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation. As a result, researchers examined if the number of times non-suicidal self-injury is used impacted outcomes, it was found that higher usage of non-suicidal self-injury is predictive of continuation. Neither conflict between parents in adolescence, or between the parent and the adolescent significantly predicted non-suicidal self-injury continuation in adulthood. These results indicate that several external factors to those examined here may have a higher impact on non-suicidal self-injury cessation or continuation for these adolescents.