Growing incidence of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) and a lack of intensive examination of NSSI variability among adolescents justify identification of latent classes based on the endorsement of different NSSI behaviors. Latent class analysis was used to detect the heterogeneity of past month NSSI among 322 high school students (73.2% female). Two interpretable latent classes emerged. The Severe/Multimethod NSSI class (39%) engaged in almost all forms of NSSI with high intensity and motivated mainly for intrapersonal reasons. The results imply that compared to Mild/Moderate NSSI group (61%), the Severe class is at greater risk for poor mental health, which can exacerbate further NSSI acts. In school settings, identifying adolescents who are vulnerable for more severe NSSI can help to interrupt NSSI trajectories to emerging adulthood.

Research on dispositional authenticity has accelerated in recent years. Using the Authenticity Scale and drawing upon Self-Determination Theory, we conducted a Latent Profile Analysis to determine whether two or more distinct classes of authentic self-development were identifiable across separate samples (Ns = 344 and 378) of emerging adults (18–22 year olds). We also tested whether multidimensional perfectionism and attachment insecurity were correlated with the classes of authentic self-development, and examined the association between class membership and levels of psychological need satisfaction and frustration. Our findings supported the presence of a 3-class configuration which we respectively labelled “Consolidated Authenticity,” “Unintegrated Authenticity,” and “Pre-Emergent Authenticity.” This class structure was replicated in a separate, independent sample. Results highlighted relevant variation in authentic self-development across the identified classes and yielded support for our model involving hypothesized influences on, as well as contemporary outcomes associated with, participants’ class membership.

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