Role of Personality in Prediction of Non-suicidal Self-injury and Suicidal Thought

Description

Page: 89-93

Divya Singh¹, Vandana Gupta², and Pratima Gond³ (Well-being Service Cell, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh¹, Psychology Section, Mahila Mahavidyalay, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh², and Sociology Section, Mahila Mahavidyalay, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh³)

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidal thoughts (ST) represent significant public health concerns among adolescents. In India, lifetime prevalence rates indicate that approximately 17% of adolescents in clinical settings and 21% in non-clinical settings engage in NSSI, with an average age of 15.19 years. However, there is a noticeable gap in research focusing on non-clinical groups. To better understand the causal factors of NSSI and ST among these populations, further investigation is essential. The present study employs a correlational design with a random sampling method. A total of 104 adolescents completed questionnaires, including the NEO-FFI Personality Inventory (Costa & McCrae, 2000); the Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury (Klonsky & Glenn, 2009); and the Suicidal Behavior Questionnaire-Revised (Osman et al., 2001). Results of correlation and regression analyses indicate a negative association between personality traits such as openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, and agreeableness with both NSSI and ST. Conversely, neuroticism emerged as a positive predictor for both NSSI and ST. These findings underscore the importance of personality traits in understanding the onset and prevalence of NSSI and ST, highlighting their relevance for behavioural health professionals in developing targeted interventions.