Social Problem Solving in Adolescents Engaging in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury Compared with Adolescent Suicide Attempters

The aim of the present study was to examine social problem solving skills among adolescents engaging in various self-injurious behaviors. Previous research has supported the claim that deficits in social problem solving skills are associated with engagement in non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicide attempts, but no research has been done comparing the two self-injury groups together. Data was collected from 176 adolescent females with history of mental health problems measuring their self-injurious behaviors and social problems solving skills. After answering various questions regarding their social problem solving skills over four social scenarios, participants experienced a stressful task and were then given the remaining four social scenarios. This manipulation was intended to simulate a state of high arousal – more like their physical state would be in the event a social problem had just occurred. Results suggested that adolescents who had reported attempting suicide experienced greater increases in avoidant problem solving strategies after the stressful task than adolescents who had only engaged in NSSI or those who had never injured themselves for any purpose. Implications of these findings, limitations of the current study, and directions for future research are discussed.Bachelor of Art