Examining decentering as a moderator in the relation between non-suicidal self-injury and suicide ideation via cognitive-affective factors.

OBJECTIVE

Given the high prevalence of self-injury but low treatment-seeking among young adults, brief, accessible interventions might help reduce risk of self-injurious thoughts and behavior in this population. This cross-sectional study examined the moderating effects of decentering-a cognitive-affective regulation strategy-in the relation between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide ideation via cognitive-affective factors that increase risk for both NSSI and suicide ideation.

METHODS

College students (N = 125, 79% women), ages 18-27, pre-screened for moderate levels of depression and anxiety, completed self-report measures of NSSI, decentering, rumination, hopelessness, depressive symptoms, and suicide ideation.

RESULTS

Young adults with past-year non-suicidal self-injury scored lower on decentering than their peers without NSSI. Decentering was associated with lower levels of all cognitive-affective risk factors and moderated the relation between NSSI and rumination, but not the relation between NSSI and hopelessness and depressive symptoms. Decentering moderated the indirect effect of past-year non-suicidal self-injury on past-week suicide ideation via rumination, but not via hopelessness or depressive symptoms.

CONCLUSIONS

Decentering is a potential cognitive-affective regulation strategy for targeting factors that increase risk of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Future studies should examine decentering as a buffer against risk using designs that allow for conclusions about temporal order of effects.