Parenting Styles of Adolescents With and Without Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) Intentions: A Comparative Study

Abstract

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an increasingly common behavior among Indonesian adolescents. This study aims to examine the differences in parenting patterns between adolescents with and without NSSI intentions. A total of 278 adolescents aged 13–18 years participated by completing the Parent as Social Context Questionnaire – Adolescent Report (PSCQ-AR). Of these, 172 were categorized as adolescents without NSSI intentions, while the other 106 were classified as adolescents with NSSI intentions. A t test was conducted to examine the differences in parenting patterns between the two groups. The results showed that adolescents with NSSI intentions experienced significantly higher unsupportive parenting patterns, especially in the dimensions of coercion, chaos, and rejection. In contrast, adolescents without NSSI intentions reported higher levels of supportive parenting, particularly warmth and structure. No significant differences were found in the autonomy dimension between the two groups. To assess the direct contribution of each dimension, simple regression analyses were conducted. Supportive parenting was found to negatively predict NSSI intentions, whereas unsupportive parenting, particularly rejection, was also found to be a stronger positive predictor. These findings contribute to NSSI research by highlighting the different roles of parenting dimensions in adolescents with and without NSSI intentions.