Does mental wellbeing protect against self-harm thoughts and behaviors during adolescence? A six-month prospective investigation
Russell, Kirsten and Rasmussen, Susan and C. Hunter, Simon (2020) Does mental wellbeing protect against self-harm thoughts and behaviors during adolescence? A six-month prospective investigation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17 (18). 6771. ISSN 1660-4601 (https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17186771)
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Abstract
Mental well-being protects against the emergence of suicidal thoughts. However, it is not clear whether these findings extend to self-harm thoughts and behaviors irrespective of intent during adolescence—or why this relationship exists. The current study aimed to test predictions—informed by the integrated motivational–volitional (IMV) model of suicide—concerning the role of perceived defeat and entrapment within the link between mental well-being and self-harm risk. Young people (n = 573) from secondary schools across Scotland completed an anonymous self-report survey at two time points, six months apart, that assessed mental well-being, self-harm thoughts and behaviors, depressive symptomology and feelings of defeat and entrapment. Mental well-being was associated with reduced defeat and entrapment (internal and external) and a decrease in the likelihood that a young person would engage in self-harm thoughts and behaviors. The relationship between mental well-being and thoughts of self-harm was mediated by perceptions of defeat and entrapment (internal and external). Mental well-being was indirectly related to self-harm behaviors via decreased feelings of defeat and internal (but not external) entrapment. Taken together, these findings provide novel insights into the psychological processes linking mental well-being and self-harm risk and highlight the importance of incorporating the promotion of mental well-being within future prevention and early intervention efforts.
ORCID iDs
Russell, Kirsten

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Item type: Article ID code: 75203 Dates: DateEvent17 September 2020Published11 September 2020AcceptedKeywords: self-harm, defeat, entrapment, mental well-being, Psychology, Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health, Health, Toxicology and Mutagenesis Subjects: Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > Psychology Department: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences (HaSS) > School of Psychological Science and Health > Psychology
Strategic Research Themes > Health and WellbeingDepositing user: Pure Administrator Date deposited: 28 Jan 2021 10:19 Last modified: 25 May 2023 10:53 URI: https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/id/eprint/75203