Study on the correlation between non-suicidal self-injury and childhood psychological trauma in adolescents with depression

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)in adolescents with depression and their childhood psychological trauma.

MethodsSeventy adolescent patients diagnosed with depressive disorder according to DSM-5 diagnostic criteria were selected.According to the presence or absence of NSSI, they were divided into depression with NSSI group and non-NSSI group, with 35 patients in each group.And 35 normal adolescents matched with gender, age and education level were used as the healthy control group.The Ottawa self-injury scale, the childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) and the Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD-24) were used to evaluate the clinical symptoms.

ResultsThe scores of emotional abuse, emotional neglect and total score of CTQ in NSSI group were higher than those in non-NSSI group, and the above three scores and physical abuse scores in the two groups were higher than those in the healthy control group, the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.05 to P < 0.01).The scores of sexual abuse and physical neglect in NSSI group were higher than those in healthy control group (P < 0.01).The frequency of non-suicidal self-harm was positively correlated with emotional neglect scores and cognitive impairment scores of HAMD scale in NSSI group (P < 0.05).

ConclusionsThere is variable correlation between NSSI self-injury behaviors in adolescents with depression and childhood psychological trauma.