Differential Psychological and Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Spanish Youth With and Without Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Longitudinal Analysis.

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Title:	Differential Psychological and Social Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Spanish Youth With and Without Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A Longitudinal Analysis.
Authors:	Schmidt, Carlos^1,2, Otero, Daniela^1,2,3, Pascual, Juan C.^4,5 jpascualmateos@gmail.com, Romero, Soledad^5,6, Puntí, Joaquim^5,7, Lara, Anaís⁸, Sintes, Anna⁹, Méndez, Iria¹⁰, Nicolaou, Stella¹, Soler, Joaquim^2,3,5, Vega, Daniel¹
Source:	Actas Espanolas de Psiquiatria. 2026, Vol. 54 Issue 2, p287-300. 14p.
Subjects:	Self-injurious behavior, COVID-19 pandemic, Academic achievement, Youth health, Longitudinal method, Spaniards, Psychological factors, Social support
Abstract:	Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents and young adults is a serious public health concern. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health worldwide. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the differential impacts of COVID-19 on psychological health, social support, and academic performance among young adults with and without previous history of NSSI. Methods: From an initial sample of 603 college students, 241 (40%) completed this 2.5-year follow-up study. The first assessment was in January-February/2020 (pre-pandemic) and the second in June-July/2022 (post-pandemic). Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of NSSI at baseline. Variables assessed included sociodemographic data, academic performance, COVID-19-related experiences, clinical characteristics, and perceived social support. Results: A significant reduction in the prevalence of NSSI behaviors was observed over the follow-up period, decreasing from 35% to 8.7%. The NSSI group endorsed worse academic performance post-pandemic. While they maintained stable clinical severity with no observed worsening, during pandemic period they experienced an improvement in perceived social support. In contrast, the Non-NSSI group experienced a decline in perceived social support during the same period. Conclusions: Contrary to previous studies, our findings indicate that young adults with NSSI significantly reduced self-harm behaviors after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although their academic performance was negatively affected, their clinical severity and social support did not worsen compared to those without NSSI. Findings indicate that the COVID-19 outbreak did not increase NSSI behaviors or exacerbate psychopathology in individuals with NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
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Database:	MedicLatina

Description
Abstract:	Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents and young adults is a serious public health concern. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted mental health worldwide. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the differential impacts of COVID-19 on psychological health, social support, and academic performance among young adults with and without previous history of NSSI. Methods: From an initial sample of 603 college students, 241 (40%) completed this 2.5-year follow-up study. The first assessment was in January-February/2020 (pre-pandemic) and the second in June-July/2022 (post-pandemic). Participants were grouped based on the presence or absence of NSSI at baseline. Variables assessed included sociodemographic data, academic performance, COVID-19-related experiences, clinical characteristics, and perceived social support. Results: A significant reduction in the prevalence of NSSI behaviors was observed over the follow-up period, decreasing from 35% to 8.7%. The NSSI group endorsed worse academic performance post-pandemic. While they maintained stable clinical severity with no observed worsening, during pandemic period they experienced an improvement in perceived social support. In contrast, the Non-NSSI group experienced a decline in perceived social support during the same period. Conclusions: Contrary to previous studies, our findings indicate that young adults with NSSI significantly reduced self-harm behaviors after the COVID-19 pandemic. Although their academic performance was negatively affected, their clinical severity and social support did not worsen compared to those without NSSI. Findings indicate that the COVID-19 outbreak did not increase NSSI behaviors or exacerbate psychopathology in individuals with NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
ISSN:	11399287
DOI:	10.62641/aep.v54i2.2043