ArticlePsychological medicine2025
The relationships between sporadic and repetitive non-suicidal self-injury and mental disorders among first-year college students: results from the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative.
Abstract read
In one paragraph
Article in Psychological medicine, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers.
0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
3 citing papers in PubMed.
- Narrative Review of Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Among Indian College Students: An Underexplored Mental-Health Concern.Current psychiatry reports · 2026Review
- Association between PMFrontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Comorbidity and temporal associations between mental disorders among college students in the world mental health international college student initiative.Psychiatry research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
77 authors.
Penelope HaskingSchool of Population Health, Faculty of Health Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, Australia.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0172-9288
Glenn KiekensFaculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8747-3385
Maria V PetukhovaDepartment of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Yesica AlborCenter for Global Mental Health Research, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico.
Ahmad Al-HadiDepartment of Psychiatry, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Jordi AlonsoHospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
Nouf Al-SaudBiostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Yasmin AltwaijriBiostatistics, Epidemiology and Scientific Computing Department, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Claes AnderssonDepartment of Criminology, Malmö University, Malmö, Sweden.
Lukoye AtwoliBrain and Mind Institute and Medical College of East Africa, the Aga Khan University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Caroline Ayuya MuakaDepartment of Psychology & Counselling, Daystar University, Nairobi, Kenya.
Patricia Báez-MansurCoordinación de Desarrollo Académico y Servicios Educativos, Universidad la Salle Ciudad Victoria, Ciudad Victoria, Mexico.
Laura BallesterHospital del Mar Research Institute (IMIM), Barcelona, Spain.
Jason BantjesMental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco (MAST) Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
Harald BaumeisterDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ulm University, Ulm, Germany.
Marcus BendtsenDepartment of Health, Medicine and Caring Sciences, Linköping University, Linkoping, Sweden.
Corina BenjetCenter for Global Mental Health Research, Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatría Ramón de la Fuente Muñiz, Mexico City, Mexico.
Anne BermanDepartment of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden.
Ronny BruffaertsCenter for Public Health Psychiatry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
Paula CarrascoCentro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain.
Silver ChanThe Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
Irina CohutCareer Counseling and Guidance Center, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Maria Covarrubias Díaz CouderCoordinación de Investigación, Universidad la Salle Noroeste, Ciudad Obregón, Mexico.
Paula Cristóbal-NarvaezParc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, IRSJD, Sant Boi Llobregat, Spain.
Pim CuijpersFaculty of Behavioural and Movement Science, Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Oana DavidDATA Lab, International Institute for Advanced Studies in Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Dong DongJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
David EbertSchool of Medicine and Health, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany.
Jorge GaeteMillennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Santiago, Chile.
Carlos García ForeroDepartamento de Medicina, Universitat Internacional de Catalunya (UIC), Barcelona, Spain.
Raúl Gutiérrez-GarcíaUniversidad De La Salle Bajío, León, Mexico.
Josep HaroParc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, IRSJD, Sant Boi Llobregat, Spain.
Xanthe HuntMental Health, Alcohol, Substance Use and Tobacco (MAST) Research Unit, South African Medical Research Council, Cape Town, South Africa.
Petra HurksFaculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands.
Mathilde HuskyBordeaux Population Health Research Center, University of Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France.
Florence JagugaDepartment of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Rehabilitation Services, Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital, Eldoret, Kenya.
Leontien JansenCenter for Public Health Psychiatry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
Ana Jiménez-PérezFacultad de Ciencias Administrativas y Sociales, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Tijuana, Mexico.
Fanny KählkeFaculty of Applied Health Sciences, Deggendorf Institute of Technology, Deggendorf, Germany.
Elisabeth KlinkenbergDepartment of Education and Innovation, Inholland University of Applied Sciences, Haarlem, The Netherlands.
Álvaro LangerMillennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Santiago, Chile.
Sue LeeDepartment of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Rodrigo Antunes LimaInstitut de Recerca Sant Joan de Deu, Sant Boi de Llobregat, Spain.
Yan LiuSchool of Public Health, Jining Medical University, Jining, PR China.
Christine LochnerSAMRC Unit on Risk and Resilience in Mental Disorders, Department of Psychiatry, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Scarlett Mac-GintyMillennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Santiago, Chile.
Vania MartínezMillennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Santiago, Chile.
Andre MasonDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Margaret McLaffertyPersonalised Medicine Centre, School of Medicine, Ulster University, Derry/Londonderry, UK.
Tiana MoriDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Elaine MurrayPersonalised Medicine Centre, School of Medicine, Ulster University, Derry/Londonderry, UK.
Catherine MusyokaDepartment of Psychiatry, School of Medicine, University of Nairobi, Nairobi, Kenya.
Caitalin NedelceaDepartment of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Bucharest, Bucharest, Romania.
Daniel NúñezMillennium Nucleus to Improve the Mental Health of Adolescents and Youths (Imhay), Santiago, Chile.
Siobhan O'NeillSchool of Psychology, Ulster University, Coleraine, UK.
José PiquerasDepartment of Health Psychology, Universidad Miguel Hernandez de Elche (UMH), Alacant, Spain.
Codruta PopescuDepartment of Human Sciences, 'Iuliu Hatieganu' University of Medicine and Pharmacy, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Charlene RapseyDepartment of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Kealagh RobinsonSchool of Psychology, Massey University, Wellington, New Zealand.
Miquel RocaInstitut Universitari d'Investigació en Ciències de la Salut (IUNICS-IDISBA) and Department of Medicine, University of Balearic Islands (UIB), Palma de Mallorca, Spain.
Tiscar Rodriguez-JimenezDepartment of Psychology and Sociology, Universidad de Zaragoza (UNIZAR), Zaragoza, Spain.
Elske SaleminkDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
Nancy SampsonDepartment of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Damian ScarfDepartment of Psychology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
Oi-Ling SiuDepartment of Psychology, Lingnan University, Hong Kong, Hong SAR.
Dan SteinDepartment of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of CapeTown, South Africa.
Sascha Y StruijsFaculty of Behavioural and Movement Science, Department of Clinical, Neuro- and Developmental Psychology, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Cristina TomoiagaDATA Lab, International Institute for Advanced Studies in Psychotherapy and Applied Mental Health, Babeș-Bolyai University, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Karla Valdés-GarcíaFacultad de Psicología, Universidad Autónoma de Coahuila, Saltillo, Mexico.
Claudia van der HeijdeStudent Health Service, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
Daniel VigoDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Wouter VoorspoelsCenter for Public Health Psychiatry, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (KUL), Leuven, Belgium.
Angel WangDepartment of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada.
Samuel WongJC School of Public Health and Primary Care, Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, PR China.
Matthew NockDepartment of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA.
Ronald KesslerDepartment of Health Care Policy, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
World Mental Health – International College Student collaborators
Funding
Risk Factors for Psychopathology in the WHO WMH SurveysR01MH070884 · NIMH · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI KESSLER, RONALD C · 2005 to 2009
$6.0MSocial Role Disability and Mental-Physical Co-MorbidityR01MH069864 · NIMH · KAISER FOUNDATION HEALTH PLAN OF WASHINGTON · PI VON KORFF, MICHAEL R · 2004 to 2007
$2.2MCROSS-NATIONAL STUDIES OF DRUG INVOLVEMENT: WMH2000R01DA016558 · NIDA · MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY · PI ANTHONY, JAMES CHRISTOPHER · 2003 to 2008
$1.7MWorld Mental Health Consortium Annual Meeting 2003-07R13MH066849 · NIMH · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · PI HEERINGA, STEVEN G · 2003 to 2007
$735kPredicting Internet-Based Treatment Response for Major Depressive DisorderR56MH109566 · NIMH · MCLEAN HOSPITAL · PI AUERBACH, RANDY PATRICK · 2016 to 2017
$685kLebanon-Epidemiology: The NCS Replication StudyR03TW006481 · FIC · HARVARD UNIVERSITY (MEDICAL SCHOOL) · PI KESSLER, RONALD C · 2004 to 2006
$142kBristol-Myers SquibbConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología CONACYT 285548Eli Lilly and Company IIT-H6U-BX-I002Feilman FoundationFIC NIH HHS FIRCA R03-TW006481FIC NIH HHS R03 TW006481GlaxoSmithKlineHealth CanadaInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIJohn D. and Catherine T. MacArthur FoundationKing Abdulaziz City for Science and TechnologyKing Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research CentreKing Saud UniversityMinisterio de Ciencia e InnovaciónMinistry of Health - Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaNational Health and Medical Research Council ID 2032058NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA016558NIMH NIH HHS NIMH R01MH070884NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH069864NIMH NIH HHS R01 MH070884NIMH NIH HHS R13 MH066849NIMH NIH HHS R56 MH109566Ortho-McNeil PharmaceuticalPan American Health OrganizationPfizer FoundationSaudi Basic Industries CorporationSouth African Medical Research CouncilSuicide Prevention AustraliaU.S. Public Health Service R13-MH066849, R01-MH069864, and R01 DA016558ZonMw 636110005
Abstract
backgroundNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with mental disorders, yet work regarding the direction of this association is inconsistent. We examined the prevalence, comorbidity, time-order associations with mental disorders, and sex differences in sporadic and repetitive NSSI among emerging adults.
methodsWe used survey data from
resultsWe estimated a lifetime NSSI rate of 24.5%, with approximately half reporting sporadic NSSI and half repetitive NSSI. The time-order associations between onset of NSSI and mental disorders were bidirectional, but mental disorders were stronger predictors of the onset of NSSI (median RR = 1.94) than vice versa (median RR = 1.58). These associations were stronger among individuals engaging in repetitive rather than sporadic NSSI. While associations between NSSI and mental disorders generally did not differ by sex, repetitive NSSI was a stronger predictor for the onset of subsequent substance use disorders among females compared to males. Most mental disorders marginally increased the risk for persistent repetitive NSSI (median RR = 1.23).
conclusionsOur findings offer unique insights into the temporal order between NSSI and mental disorders. Further work exploring the mechanism underlying these associations will pave the way for early identification and intervention of both NSSI and mental disorders.
Indexed as
Mental DisordersSelf-Injurious BehaviorStudentsAdolescentAdultComorbidityFemaleHumansMalePrevalenceSex FactorsUniversitiesYoung Adultcollege studentsmental disordersnon-suicidal self-injuryNSSI
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390
Registered trials
None linked
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.