Background and Purpose: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a global concern in adolescent mental health. Rural boarding middle school students, as a unique and vulnerable population, remain understudied regarding the potential heterogeneity and longitudinal trajectories of NSSI. This study aimed to identify latent classes of NSSI among this group, examine their transition patterns over time, and evaluate the effectiveness of an emotion management group intervention. Methods: Study 1 cross-sectionally surveyed 927 adolescents; we split samples into non-NSSI and NSSI subgroups and ran latent profile analysis (LPA) only among participants with NSSI ( n =285). Study 2 conducted a 6-month follow-up of 550 participants and applied latent transition analysis (LTA) to examine class shifts and predictive factors. Study 3 was a randomized controlled trial in which 30 students from the High-NSSI received an 8-week emotion-management group intervention. Intervention effects were evaluated using repeated-measures ANCOVA with demographic covariates. Results: Within the NSSI subgroup ( n = 285), two classes were identified: a High-NSSI class ( n = 21, 7.4%) and a Low-NSSI class ( n = 264, 92.6%). Poor sleep quality and bullying victimization independently predicted High-NSSI membership. Longitudinal analysis revealed high stability in the Low-NSSI class (91%) and high fluidity in the High-NSSI class (83% transitioning to low-risk). The emotion-management intervention significantly reduced both NSSI frequency and negative affect. Discussion: These findings demonstrate that clinically meaningful NSSI subtypes exist among rural boarding adolescents and that sleep quality and bullying are key modifiable risk factors. The results support a stepped-care approach in school settings, where the High-NSSI class requires intensive intervention and the Low-NSSI class may benefit from less intensive, universal supports. The emotion-management group intervention is an effective school-based program for the most severe NSSI subtype. Keywords: non-suicidal self-injury, latent profile analysis, latent transition analysis, emotion management, group intervention
Bullying victimization is an important public health concern that has been linked to adverse psychological outcomes among adolescents. The study used mental health well-being data collected in the most recent Bangladesh Adolescent Health and Wellbeing Survey (2019–2020) (BAHWS). A total of 9,116 adolescents aged 15–19 years with complete depression data were included in the analysis. A three-level linear mixed-effects model was employed to account for the hierarchical structure of the survey, with adolescents nested within primary sampling units and districts. Additional analyses examined gender and marital status interactions, subgroup differences, and the cumulative association between multiple forms of bullying and depressive symptoms using a composite bullying measure. The findings revealed that verbal bullying (β = 1.39, p < 0.001) and cyberbullying (β = 1.15, p = 0.012) were independently associated with higher depressive symptom scores. The association between physical bullying and depressive symptoms differed significantly by gender, whereas interactions of gender with verbal and cyberbullying were not statistically significant. Exploratory subgroup analyses showed variation in the magnitude of estimated associations across ever-married females, unmarried females, and unmarried males. A graded association was observed for cumulative bullying exposure: compared with adolescents reporting no bullying exposure, those exposed to on (β = 1.25), two (β = 2.61), and three (β = 4.99) bullying types had progressively higher depressive symptom scores (all p < 0.001). Adolescent Age, Current school or college attendance and higher household wealth were associated with lower depressive symptom scores. Bullying victimization, particularly verbal bullying, cyberbullying, and exposure to multiple forms of bullying, was associated with higher depressive symptoms among Bangladeshi adolescents. These findings highlight the need for comprehensive bullying prevention strategies and accessible psychosocial support services, with particular attention to adolescents experiencing multiple forms of bullying and other vulnerable groups.
Abstract Internalizing disorders are the most common adolescent mental disorders. Using complementary variable-centered and person-centered approaches, we examined whether internalizing symptoms across eight years of adolescence (Grades 5–12) followed a continuous developmental trend or were disrupted by the transition to secondary school, and if different subgroups followed different pathways. Participants were 701 Canadian youth (52.9% girls; 75.9% white). Annual self-reported internalizing symptoms (ages 11–18) were examined using piecewise latent growth curve analysis (LGCM), revealing significant curve and level discontinuity at the transition, with distinct developmental phases in elementary and secondary school. Girls, youth with lower household income, and those with higher bullying victimization and lower social support showed elevated symptoms and/or steeper growth. An LGCM yielded four classes: Low (51.8%), Moderate (32.5%), Increasing (10.6%), and Declining (5.1%). The Declining and Moderate classes had comparable risk for early adulthood outcomes, demonstrating equifinality. Although beginning with similar levels, the Increasing class was at elevated risk compared to the Moderate class, demonstrating multifinality. Findings underscore that the secondary school transition can be viewed as a transition-linked turning point for a subset of adolescents, with implications for targeted screening and intervention beginning in elementary school.
اختلالات درونیسازی شایعترین اختلالات روانی در نوجوانان هستند. با استفاده از رویکردهای مکمل مبتنی بر متغیر و مبتنی بر فرد، بررسی کردیم که آیا نشانههای درونیسازی در طول هشت سال نوجوانی (پایههای پنجم تا دوازدهم) روند رشدی پیوستهای را دنبال میکنند یا با گذار به دبیرستان دچار اختلال میشوند و اینکه آیا زیرگروههای مختلف مسیرهای متفاوتی را دنبال میکنند. شرکتکنندگان شامل 701 نوجوان کانادایی (52.9٪ دختر؛ 75.9٪ سفیدپوست) بودند. نشانههای درونیسازی خودگزارششده سالانه (سنین 11 تا 18 سال) با استفاده از تحلیل منحنی رشد نهفته قطعهای (LGCM) بررسی شد که ناپیوستگی معنادار منحنی و سطح را در زمان گذار نشان داد و فازهای رشدی متمایزی را در دبستان و دبیرستان آشکار ساخت. دختران، نوجوانان با درآمد خانوادگی پایینتر و افرادی که قربانیپذیری بیشتری در برابر زورگویی و حمایت اجتماعی پایینتری داشتند، نشانههای بالاتر و/یا رشد تندتری را نشان دادند. تحلیل LGCM چهار طبقه را مشخص کرد: پایین (51.8٪)، متوسط (32.5٪)، افزایشی (10.6٪) و کاهشی (5.1٪). طبقات کاهشی و متوسط خطر قابل مقایسهای برای پیامدهای اوایل بزرگسالی داشتند که همنهایی را نشان میدهد. اگرچه با سطوح مشابهی آغاز شدند، طبقه افزایشی نسبت به طبقه متوسط در معرض خطر بالاتری قرار داشت که چندنهایی را نشان میدهد. یافتهها تأکید میکنند که گذار به دبیرستان میتواند بهعنوان یک نقطه عطف مرتبط با گذار برای بخشی از نوجوانان تلقی شود و پیامدهایی برای غربالگری و مداخله هدفمند از دبستان دارد.
