Evaluation of identity development and mindfulness in adolescents with and without nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior

Nonsuicidal Self-injurious behavior (NSSI) is defined as the deliberate, self-harm of an individual without intent to die. The frequency increases especially in adolescence, which is the period of identity development. In the psychiatric literature, identity and NSSI have been studied a lot independently, however the number of studies in which adolescents with and without NSSI are evaluated in terms of identity confusion, family relationships and mindfulness are limited. In this study we aimed to compare the identity development and mindfulness of adolescents with and without NSSI. This study is a cross sectional study with a sample consisting of 118 adolescents, 41 with NSSI, 40 non-NSSI psychiatric patients and 37 healthy controls. All participants were assessed with Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School Aged Children-Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL), Family Assessment Device (FAD), Sense of Identity Assessment Form (SIAF) and Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ). The results of the analyzes showed statistically significant differences regarding the demographic characteristics of age, gender, education level of the mother. Adolescents with NSSI had more identity confusion, their family relations were more complicated and their mindfulness levels were lower compared to the other two groups. In addition, adolescents with NSSI had more depression and more comorbid diagnoses. This study provides data to understand some developmental factors which can be associated with self injury in adolescence. In order to understand the effects of identity status and mindfulness on the complexity of the self-injury, and the underlying mechanisms, there is a need for a closer examination of childhood psychopathologies, family attitudes and long term follow up of the self-injurious adolescents.