Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles, USA.
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, USA.
J Youth Adolesc. 2023 Dec;52(12):2494-2508. doi: 10.1007/s10964-023-01839-x. Epub 2023 Aug 17.
Adolescents involved in juvenile legal system are at increased risk for self-cutting behavior, however, correlates associated with elevated risk remain underresearched, particularly among youth with first involvement with the court. This study utilized an epidemiological two-year longitudinal study involving 401 adolescents at first contact with the court (M = 14.47; SD = 1.94 years; 43% female; 42% Latinx/Hispanic) and an involved caregiver. Study aims examined key prospective psychosocial correlates of self-cutting behavior. Baseline assessments captured individual and family level risk and protective factors; self-cutting behavior was assessed longitudinally every four months post-baseline for 24 months. Psychosocial correlates of self-cutting behavior included adolescent affect dysregulation, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms, impulsive decision making, anxiety and depression symptoms. Significant protective factors included positive communication with caregiver and family, higher self-esteem, and having a caring and supportive family. These findings suggest that internalizing symptoms as well as difficulties with emotion regulation and impulsive decision making are correlated with heightened risk for self-cutting behavior among adolescents involved in the juvenile legal system. The findings also suggest that individual and family level protective factors, like positive communication and a supportive family, are associated with decreased risk for self-cutting behavior among adolescents at first contact with the court.
参与少年司法系统的青少年有更高的自伤行为风险，但与之相关的风险因素仍研究不足，特别是在首次与法庭接触的青年中。本研究采用了一项涉及 401 名首次与法庭接触的青少年（M=14.47；SD=1.94 岁；43%为女性；42%为拉丁裔/西班牙裔）及其相关照顾者的流行病学两年纵向研究。研究目的是检验与自伤行为相关的关键前瞻性心理社会因素。基线评估包括个体和家庭层面的风险和保护因素；自伤行为在基线后每四个月进行一次纵向评估，为期 24 个月。与自伤行为相关的心理社会因素包括青少年情绪失调、创伤后应激障碍症状、冲动决策、焦虑和抑郁症状。显著的保护因素包括与照顾者和家人的积极沟通、更高的自尊心以及有一个关爱和支持的家庭。这些发现表明，内化症状以及情绪调节和冲动决策困难与参与少年司法系统的青少年自伤行为风险增加有关。研究结果还表明，个体和家庭层面的保护因素，如积极的沟通和支持性的家庭，与首次与法庭接触的青少年自伤行为风险降低有关。
