Lifetime and current self-harm thoughts and behaviours and their relationship to parent and peer attachment

Abstract

Background: Previous research suggests attachment is a vulnerability factor for self-harm thoughts and behaviours in adults. Yet, few studies have investigated this relationship during adolescence, even though adolescence is a critical period for changes in attachment relationships, and self-harm onset. Whether and how attachment relates to self-harm thoughts and behaviours as measured in daily life is also unknown. Aims: To investigate whether and how paternal, maternal, and peer attachment are associated with lifetime and current adolescent self-harm thoughts and behaviours. Additionally, to examine how different attachment bonds interact in relation to lifetime and current adolescent self-harm thoughts and behaviours.Method: Pre-existing data from N=1913 adolescents of the SIGMA study were used. Attachment and lifetime history of self-harm thoughts and behaviours were measured via retrospective questionnaires. Current self-harm thoughts and behaviours were assessed ten times per day for six days using the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Results: Paternal and maternal attachment were associated with lifetime self-harm thoughts and behaviours and current self-harm thoughts. No significant associations were found between peer attachment and self-harm outcomes. Limitations: Some analyses were underpowered. Conclusion: Our results highlight the importance of parent-child attachment relationships, which may be intervention targets for prevention and treatment of adolescent self-harm.

Open Science in Suicide Research Is Open for Business

“…The second author’s first paper was an RR using preexisting data (Janssens et al, 2021). Because Stage 1 RRs are accepted based on the quality and value of the research questions and analysis plan, this encouraged her to carefully consider theory when building her rationale and to devote considerable time to optimizing her analysis plan.…”

Lifetime and Current Self-Harm Thoughts and Behaviors and Their Relationship to Parent and Peer Attachment

“…The Stage 1 version of the manuscript is also available at https:// osf.io/8eu9y/ (Janssens et al, 2022).…”

“…Details on selection procedure, data access confirmation, overview of hypotheses and analysis plan (postregistration), confirmatory factor analysis, group comparison analyses, draft/final R codes, and output files of all main and exploratory analyses with and without the suicidal ideation item of the BSI, full list and details on scoring and construction of all items and questionnaires, cover letter, details on missing data analysis and quality check of imputed values, details on power calculation, transparent changes document, and results of all exploratory analyses are available at https://osf.io/8eu9y/ (Janssens et al, 2022).…”

“…The Stage 1 version of the manuscript is also available at https:// osf.io/8eu9y/ (Janssens et al, 2022). Achterhof uses experience sampling to find out which aspects of daily life social interactions are most relevant for adaptive adolescent development.…”