Parental pressure and intrapersonal risk factors in relation to non-suicidal self-injury outcomes in university students

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent among university students, yet risk models for NSSI are rarely contextualized to the experiences of university students. The current study explored a risk model for NSSI among university students, with a focus on parent-child relational risk factors and intrapersonal vulnerabilities likely to be heightened by the achievement-focused context of the university years. A sample of 2,579 students (75.2% female) reported on experiences relating to perceived mother and father pressure, emotion dysregulation, academic coping, perfectionism (self-oriented, socially-prescribed), and past-year NSSI. Analyses involved structural equation modeling using a combined linear and zero-inflated negative binomial regression approach. Structural equation models revealed that higher perceived mother and father pressure were associated with greater past-year NSSI likelihood amongst university students. Perceived mother and father pressure were also positively associated with four intrapersonal markers of risk (self-oriented perfectionism, socially-prescribed perfectionism, academic disengagement coping, emotion dysregulation). Among these, only emotion dysregulation was linked with higher NSSI likelihood and frequency. In contrast, students higher in self-oriented perfectionism appeared less likely to engage in NSSI. Gender differences were also examined as an exploratory goal. Findings provide further insights into patterns of NSSI vulnerability among university students.