The Destructive Courage: A Longitudinal Analysis of How Harsh Parenting Leads to Adolescent Non-Suicidal Self-Injury.

Objective: Harsh parenting is a family risk factor that can lead to non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents. Based on the developmental psychopathology model and the identity disruption model, this study aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying the relationship between harsh parenting and NSSI using a one-year longitudinal design. Specifically, the study focused on the mediating role of identity confusion and the moderating role of intentional self-regulation in this association.

Methods: Three waves of data (T1, T2, and T3) were collected at 6-month intervals between May 2023 and May 2024. A total of 564 Chinese adolescents from four schools in Central China (54.3% boys; M_age at T1 = 14.48 years) completed questionnaires regarding harsh parenting (T1), identity confusion (T2), intentional self-regulation (T2), and NSSI (T1 and T3). All measures used in this study have demonstrated good reliability and validity in prior research.

Results: The results of the structural equation modeling indicated a mediation process in which T1 harsh parenting positively predicted T2 identity confusion, which subsequently predicted higher T3 NSSI. Furthermore, the latent moderated structural equations analysis revealed that T2 intentional self-regulation buffered the effect of T2 identity confusion on T3 NSSI, thereby mitigating the mediation process.

Conclusions: The results of this study illustrate how harsh parenting, identity confusion, and intentional self-regulation contribute to NSSI and offer recommendations for preventing and addressing NSSI among adolescents.