Self-Injurious Thoughts and Behaviors Among College Students: A Latent Class Analysis

Abstract

This study explored emerging typologies of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors and how they relate to known psychological and cognitive correlates. Latent class analysis was employed to identify subgroups of college students (n = 626, mean age = 20, 73% female, and 83% White) based on history of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors. Differences among classes were tested to examine their associations with suicidal ideation, fearlessness of death, depression/hopelessness, thwarted belongingness, problems with alcohol or drugs, behavioral inhibition, and emotional control. Results of the latent class analysis supported a 3-class solution, with students classified as being likely to have (1) no history of any self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (78%); (2) a history of all self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (8%); or (3) a history of suicidal ideation, plan, and non-suicidal self-injurious thoughts and behaviors, but not suicide attempt (13%). Findings examining correlates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors highlight the importance of fearlessness of death for distinguishing suicide attempters from non-attempters. Attention to mental health and suicide prevention initiatives should remain a critical priority across college campuses.

Keywords:

• College students
• latent class analysis
• self-injurious thoughts and behaviors
• suicide

DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The project described in this manuscript was supported by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), National Institutes of Health, through Grant Award Number [UL1TR002489]. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.

Notes on contributors

Marisa E. Marraccini

Marisa E. Marraccini, School of Education, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.

Leslie A. Brick

Leslie A. Brick, Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Alpert Medical School of Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA.

J. Conor O’Neill

J. Conor O’Neill, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina, USA.

Lisa L. Weyandt

Lisa L. Weyandt, Department of Psychology, Interdisciplinary Neuroscience Program, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.

Ashley L. Buchanan

Ashley L. Buchanan, Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, Rhode Island, USA.