RESUMEN
The aim of the present study was to compare different features of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in India and Belgium. We also explored whether the strength of the association between NSSI and disturbances in identity formation-a risk factor that can increase vulnerability to NSSI-was similar in young adults from India and Belgium. Data regarding NSSI and identity formation were collected from 182 young adults in India (56% females, mean age = 21.5 years, SD = 3.70, range = 17-38 years). The Belgian data used for matching were derived from four existing datasets. Of the 182 Indian cases, 138 cases could be matched with the Belgian sample on age, gender, and lifetime prevalence of NSSI. Lifetime prevalence of NSSI in the Indian sample was found to be around 21.4%, with higher prevalence in females than in males. Comparison of features of NSSI in India and Belgium indicated that the age of onset of NSSI was higher in the Indian sample (around 17 years) than the Belgian sample (around 15 years). Additionally, self-bruising behavior was more commonly reported in India and scratching/cutting was more often reported in Belgium. Finally, the Belgian sample reported intra-personal functions of NSSI more often than the Indian sample. Moderation analysis indicated that the associations between NSSI and identity confusion/integration were stronger in the Belgian sample compared to the Indian sample. Higher self-knowledge was protective against NSSI in both the Indian and the Belgian sample.
Asunto(s)
Comparación Transcultural , Conducta Autodestructiva , Adolescente , Adulto , Bélgica/epidemiología , Estudios de Casos y Controles , Femenino , Humanos , India/epidemiología , Masculino , Conducta Autodestructiva/epidemiología , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is being increasingly identified as an important emerging mental health issue in the West. Yet, NSSI has not been adequately studied in clinical and nonclinical contexts in countries like India. AIM: The aim of this study was to compare different features of NSSI between clinical and nonclinical samples in India. We also explored if the strength of the association between NSSI and disturbances in identity formation - a risk factor that can increase vulnerability to NSSI - was similar in the two samples mentioned above. METHOD: For the clinical sample, data regarding NSSI and identity formation were collected from 100 psychiatric patients (47.0% females, mean age = 34.76 years, SD = 12.76, 17-70 years) from an outpatient/inpatient psychiatric department of a large tertiary hospital in Mumbai, India. Nonclinical data were collected from 120 young adults studying in a medical college in Mumbai, India (51.7% females, mean age = 19.7 years, SD = 2.16, 17-28 years). Information regarding NSSI and identity were collected using self-report questionnaires. RESULTS: Lifetime prevalence of NSSI in the clinical and nonclinical samples was found to be around 17% and 21%, respectively. Although the prevalence of NSSI did not significantly differ between the two samples, some features of NSSI did differ between the two groups. Finally, multigroup Bayesian structural equation modeling indicated that irrespective of the type of the sample (i.e. clinical or nonclinical), consolidated and disturbed identity significantly (negative and positive, respectively) predicted lifetime NSSI. Additionally, the association between the aforementioned identity variables and NSSI did not significantly differ between the two samples. CONCLUSION: The findings of these studies highlight the need for exploring issues related to identity formation in individuals who engage in NSSI irrespective of whether they suffer from a psychiatric disorder or not.