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. 2021 Aug 6;18(16):8355.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph18168355.

Deviant Peer Affiliation and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Chinese Adolescents: Depression as a Mediator and Sensation Seeking as a Moderator

Chang Wei  1 , Jingjing Li  1 , Chengfu Yu  2 , Yanhan Chen  1 , Shuangju Zhen  1 , Wei Zhang  1
Affiliations

Deviant Peer Affiliation and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Chinese Adolescents: Depression as a Mediator and Sensation Seeking as a Moderator

Chang Wei et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an emerging health problem among adolescents. Although previous studies have shown that deviant peer affiliation is an important risk factor for this behavior, the reasons for this relationship are unclear. Based on the integrated theoretical model of the development and maintenance of NSSI and the social development model of delinquency prevention, this study tested whether depression mediated the relationship between deviant peer affiliation and NSSI and whether this mediating effect was moderated by sensation seeking. A sample of 854 Chinese adolescents (31.50% male; Mage = 16.35; SD = 1.15) anonymously completed questionnaires on the study variables. Results of regression-based analyses showed that depression mediated the association between deviant peer affiliation and NSSI, and this effect was stronger among adolescents who reported high sensation seeking. The results demonstrate the role of individual differences in the link between affiliation with deviant peers and NSSI, and have implications for preventing and treating this risky behavior.

Keywords: depression; deviant peer affiliation; non-suicidal self-injury; sensation seeking.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The proposed mediated moderation model. Note: NSS = non-suicidal self-injury.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Model of the mediating role of depression in the association between deviant peer affiliation and non-suicidal self-injury. Note: the numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Path coefficients between control variables (gender and age) and each of the variables in the model are not displayed. Gender was dummy coded as 1 = male, 0 = female. Of those paths, gender was significantly related to depression (b = −0.14, SE = 0.04, t = −4.13, p < 0.001) and NSSI (b = −0.08, SE = 0.04, t = −2.08, p < 0.05). NSSI = non-suicidal self-injury. *** p < 0.001.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Model of the moderating role of sensation seeking on the indirect relationship between deviant peer affiliation and NSSI, Note: The numbers are standardized regression coefficients. Path coefficients between control variables (gender and age) and each of the variables in the model are not displayed. Of those paths, gender was significantly associated with depression (b = −0.15, SE = 0.04, t = −4.09, p < 0.001). NSSI = non−suicidal self−injury. * p < 0.05; *** p < 0.001.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Interactive effect of depression and sensation seeking on NSSI. Note: Sensation seeking is graphed for two levels: high sensation seeking (1 SD above the mean) and low sensation seeking (1 SD below the mean). NSSI = nonsuicidal self−injury. NSSI = non-suicidal self−injury.
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