Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 24, 2026

A Modified Trier Social Stress Test for Vulnerable Mexican American Adolescents
Published on: July 10, 2017
Stressful Life Events as a Predictor for Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Southern Chinese Adolescence: A Cross-Sectional
Jie Tang1, Wei Yang, Niman Isse Ahmed
1From the School of Public Health, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, Guangdong (JT, PXW, JJW); Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, and MOE Key Lab of Environment and Health (WY); Department of Child, Adolescence & Women Health Care, School of Public Health, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, Wuhan, Hubei (NIA, YKD & YZY); and Guangzhou Women and Children Medical Center (YM & HYL), Guangzhou, Guangdong, China.
Abstract:
Stressful life events have been implicated in the etiology of kinds of psychopathology related to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI); however, few studies have examined the association between NSSI and stressful life events directly in Chinese school adolescents. In this study, we aim to estimate the prevalence rate of NSSI and examine its association with stressful life events in Southern Chinese adolescents. A total sample of 4405 students with age ranged from 10 to 22 years was randomly selected from 12 schools in 3 cities of Guangdong Province, China. NSSI, stressful life events, self-esteem, emotional management, and coping methods were measured by structured questionnaires. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine the association of NSSI with stressful life events. Results showed the 1 year self-reported NSSI was 29.2%, with 22.6% engaged in "minor" NSSI (including hitting self, pulling hair, biting self, inserting objects under nails or skin, picking at a wound) and 6.6% in "moderate/sever" NSSI (including cutting/carving, burning, self-tattooing, scraping, and erasing skin). Self-hitting (15.9%), pulling hair out (10.9%), and self-inserting objects under nails or skin picking areas to dram blood (18.3%) were the most frequent types of NSSI among adolescents. Results also showed that "Minor NSSI" was associated with stressful life events on interpersonal, loss and health adaption, and "moderate/severe NSSI" was associated with life events on interpersonal, health adaption in Southern Chinese adolescents, even after adjusted for sex, age, residence, self-esteem, coping style, and emotional management. Results further suggested stressful life events were significantly associated with less risk of NSSI in those who had good emotional management ability.
Related Concept Videos
Introduction to Stress and Lifestyle
Ethnic Identity within a Larger Culture
Self-Evaluation: Self-Enhancement and Self-Verification
Sources of Self-Esteem I: Family Experience
Sources of Self-Esteem III: Social Comparison
Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping

