Latent Profile Analysis of Urges for Suicidal and Self-Harming Behavior: The Role of Social Support Instability

Abstract

College counseling centers are seeing increasing rates of suicidal thoughts and behaviors, and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) among students. The high degree of need and limited resources underscores the need for novel approaches to identify at-risk students. We used latent profile analysis (LPA) to identify subgroups of students (n = 371) with different patterns of interpersonal factors and examine whether these subgroups differed by risk for self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. The best-fitting LPA had three profiles, which differed in urges to die by suicide and engage in NSSI. The profile with low average social support and higher instability (greater day-to-day fluctuations of self-reported social support and rejection) was associated with greatest risk, suggesting that this combination leaves individuals more vulnerable to suicide and NSSI.

Keywords: College mental health; ecological momentary assessment; nonsuicidal self-injury; rejection; risk assessment; suicide.