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Non-suicidal self-injury within the school context: Multilevel analysis of teachers’ support and peer climate

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2017

N. Madjar ,
S. Ben Shabat ,
R. Elia ,
N. Fellner ,
M. Rehavi ,
S.E. Rubin ,
N. Segal  and
G. Shoval
N. Madjar*
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
S. Ben Shabat
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
R. Elia
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
N. Fellner
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
M. Rehavi
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
S.E. Rubin
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
N. Segal
Affiliation:
School of Education, Bar-Ilan University, 5290002Ramat-Gan, Israel
G. Shoval
Affiliation:
Child and Adolescents’ Psychiatry Division, Geha Mental Health Center, Petach Tikva, Israel Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel
*
⁎Corresponding author. Tel.: +972 3 5317105; fax: +972 3 7384029. E-mail address: nir.madjar@biu.ac.il (N. Madjar).
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Abstract

Background

Recent studies regarding non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among adolescents have focused primarily on individual characteristics (e.g., depressive symptoms) and background factors (e.g., parental relationship), whereas less emphasis has been given to the role of school-related factors in NSSI. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to explore the relationships between teachers’ support, peer climate, and NSSI within the school context.

Methods

The sample consisted of 594 high school students nested within 27 regular classes (54.4% boys; mean age 14.96, SD = 1.33 years). The students were evaluated for NSSI behaviors, perception of teacher support, peer climate, relationships with mothers, and depressive symptoms using validated scales.

Results

The primary analysis used hierarchical linear modeling (HLM), controlling for gender and age. The main findings indicated that teacher support was positively associated with NSSI at the classroom-level (OR = 6.15, 95% CI = 2.05–18.5) but negatively associated at the student-level (OR = 0.66, 95% CI = 0.49–0.89). There was a trend toward an association between positive peer climate and NSSI at the classroom-level (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.18–1.05), while negative peer climate was associated with NSSI at the student-level (OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.00–1.87).

Conclusions

School-related factors are associated with NSSI behaviors among students. Teachers and educators should focus on both individual-level and classroom-level perceptions of school context. Students who feel supported by their teachers and who are exposed to a positive peer climate are less likely to engage in NSSI.

Keywords

SuicideAdolescent psychiatryNSSISchool
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 41 , Issue 1 , March 2017 , pp. 95 - 101
Copyright
Copyright © European Psychiatric Association 2017

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