Examine the relationship between self-injurious behaviors and emotion regulation in Iranian adolescent athletes.

Abstract

Objective: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) represents a significant public health concern, particularly among adolescents. Understanding the prevalence of NSSI within specific at-risk populations, such as athletes, is crucial for developing effective prevention programs. Given the unique stressors and pressures experienced by young athletes, it is essential to examine the factors contributing to their vulnerability. This study aimed to determine the occurrence of NSSI in adolescent athletes and to investigate the role of emotional regulation in their self-injurious behaviors.

Method: This study involved 456 adolescent athletes, aged 13 to 18 (mean age 14.66 years, SD = 2.80), recruited in Tehran in 2024. The sample consisted of 183 female (40.1%) and 273 male (59.9%) participants. Participants completed surveys measuring self-injury behaviors, cognitive emotion regulation and behavioral emotion regulation strategies. Data analysis employed Pearson correlation coefficients and regression testing.

Results: The findings revealed a concerning prevalence of self-injury among the adolescent athletes in Tehran. A significant relationship was found between self-injury and cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation. The regression model indicated that self-injury could be predicted by the level of behavioral emotion regulation, followed by cognitive emotion regulation.

Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of considering emotion regulation in understanding and addressing self-injurious behaviors among adolescent athletes. The findings suggest that interventions aimed at improving cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation strategies may be beneficial in reducing NSSI among this population.