BACKGROUND: NSSI is a robust predictor of suicide attempts but little is known about what factors may serve protective functions in this relationship.
METHODS: This study used a subsample of 828 young adults with past year NSSI. Participants were recruited from two universities to complete an on-line survey that included assessments of past year NSSI frequency and total NSSI methods used (versatility), past year suicide attempts, life satisfaction, subjective happiness, and resilience.
RESULTS: Bootstrapping logistic regression models were used to test the protective factors as moderators between NSSI frequency, versatility and past year suicide attempts. Greater NSSI versatility and past year frequency were significantly associated with greater likelihood of past year suicide attempts in all models. Life satisfaction and subjective happiness were associated with decreased likelihood of past year suicide attempts in all models. Resilience was not associated with past year suicide attempts, and all moderation analyses were non-significant.
LIMITATIONS: Our sample had limited heterogeneity, focused on a college-age population with lower severity relative to clinical samples, and all data were collected on-line.
CONCLUSIONS: NSSI emerged as a robust predictor of recent suicide attempts as the strength of the relationship did not change in the presence of protective factors. Our results highlight the strong relationship between NSSI and suicide attempts that occur within the same time frame (past year in this study), and the need for future research to identify factors that do serve protective functions between NSSI and suicide attempts.
