COVID-19 factors and self-injurious behaviors among US college students: findings from the healthy minds study 2020

Abstract

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has dramatically altered the way of life in the United States, which may be linked to self-injurious behaviors.

Methods

We conducted a secondary analysis of data from the Fall 2020 Cohort of the Healthy Minds Survey, a non-probability sample of students enrolled at one of 28 universities across the United States. Participants completed an online survey during the COVID-19 pandemic (September–December, 2020).

Results

Nearly a quarter of the sample (n = 6999) reported engaging in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), 12.41% (n = 3819) reported suicidal ideation, 4.98% (n = 1531) reported making a suicide plan, and 1.09% (n = 334) reported a suicide attempt over the past 12 months. When accounting for all COVID-19 factors in the same model, COVID-19 related concern, COVID-19 related discrimination, financial distress, and infection were significantly associated with NSSI, suicidal ideation, and suicide plan; caregiving was significantly associated with lower odds of engaging in non-suicidal self-injury. None of the factors were associated with suicide attempt.

Conclusions

This study showed that various COVID-19 factors were related to SIB. Interventions may consider multiple dimensions of COVID-19 and their specific impacts.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• coronavirus
• suicide
• non-suicidal self-injury
• pandemic
• college students

Conflict of interest disclosure

The authors have no conflicts of interest to report. The authors confirm that the research presented in this article met the ethical guidelines, including adherence to the legal requirements, of United State of America and received approval from the Institutional Review Board of University of Southern California.

Funding

No funding was used to support this research and/or the preparation of the manuscript.