Citation

Gao Y, Liang C, Liu X, Bai R, Xing S. J. Affect. Disord. 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.jad.2023.10.117

PMID

37865345

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Adversity in childhood increases the risk of psychopathology, perhaps by influencing sensitivity to recent stressful life events (SLEs). However, little is known about the stress-sensitizing effect of childhood adversity on nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), whether stress sensitization exists in specific types of SLEs, and the stress-buffering effect of self-esteem. This study aimed to investigate whether exposure to child maltreatment increases adolescent's vulnerability to the effects of dependent and independent SLEs on later NSSI and whether self-esteem buffers this risk.

METHODS: We conducted a two-wave study with 18-month intervals. 601 Chinese adolescents completed self-report measures of child maltreatment, SLEs, self-esteem, and NSSI.

RESULTS: Results supported the stress sensitization hypothesis for child maltreatment regarding dependent SLEs, with dependent SLEs significantly predicting later NSSI only in maltreated adolescents. Moreover, self-esteem buffered the relationship between dependent SLEs and NSSI in maltreated adolescents but amplified the relationship in non-maltreated adolescents. In the maltreated group, dependent SLEs predicted increased NSSI only in those with low self-esteem. In contrast, in the control group, dependent SLEs were significantly associated with NSSI in individuals with high self-esteem. LIMITATIONS: We did not collect information on the timing of exposure to child maltreatment. Future studies that assess child maltreatment during critical periods of development may be able to identify sensitive period in which maltreatment sensitizes individuals to stress in adolescents.

CONCLUSION: Findings provide preliminary evidence that child maltreatment has a stress-sensitizing effect on adolescent NSSI. Improving self-esteem may mitigate the associations between SLEs and NSSI in adolescents exposed to child maltreatment.

Language: en

Keywords

Child maltreatment; Self-esteem; Nonsuicidal self-injury; Dependent stressful life events; Stress sensitization