Self-Schemata and Suicidal Thoughts and Nonsuicidal Self-Injury: Longitudinal and Bidirectional Associations in Adolescent Inpatients

Abstract

Self-schemata are cognitive patterns reflecting core beliefs about oneself. Negative self-schemata are established as risk factors for suicidal ideation (SI) and nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) during adolescence. However, less is known about whether devaluative self-schemata may be a unique risk factor beyond negative self-schemata for SI and NSSI. In the current study, we examined the longitudinal and bidirectional associations between self-schemata with SI and NSSI over a 1-year period and how depression diagnosis affected these associations. Adolescents ( N  = 180) recruited from a psychiatric inpatient hospital completed measures of self-schemata, SI, and NSSI at baseline and 6- and 12-month follow-ups. Multilevel models revealed independent, predictive effects of devaluative and negative self-schema on SI and NSSI (and vice versa) 6 months later. However, inclusion of depression diagnosis as a moderator in these models revealed nuances in our findings, providing further support that reward devaluation may be a unique mechanism seen in depression.