The influence of family resilience on non-suicidal self-injury among Chinese adolescents: The mediating roles of mindfulness and individual resilience

Abstract

Previous research has documented that family-related supportive factors (e.g., family resilience) can protect adolescents from risky behaviors. However, the data regarding the potential psychological mechanism linking family resilience and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) remain scarce. This study aimed to explore the possible serial mediational roles of mindfulness and individual resilience in the relationship between family resilience and NSSI. A sample including 548 Chinese adolescents (M_age = 16.10, SD = 1.61; 50.9 % male) with a six-month interval and two waves (Time 1, T1 - September 25, 2023 – October 13, 2023; Time 2, T2 - March 9, 2024 – March 22, 2024) of follow-up was used in the present study. Results showed that, within the examined model, mindfulness at T2 mediated the relation between family resilience at T1 and NSSI at T2; individual resilience at T2 mediated the association between family resilience at T1 and NSSI at T2; and the relationship between family resilience at T1 and NSSI at T2 was fully serially mediated by mindfulness and individual resilience at T2. The findings suggest that family resilience may reduce the likelihood of NSSI by enhancing adolescents' mindfulness and individual resilience. Future interventions aimed at reducing NSSI may benefit from incorporating strategies to strengthen family resilience, promote mindfulness practices, and enhance individual resilience in adolescents.