Examining Sexual Assault Victimization and Loneliness as Risk Factors Associated With Nonlethal Self-Harm Behaviors in Female College Students: Is It Important to Control for Concomitant Suicidal Behaviors (and Vice Versa)?. Issue 21 (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Chang, Edward C.; Lee, Jerin; Wright, Kaitlin M.; Najarian, Alexandria S.-M.; Yu, Tina; Chang, Olivia D.; Hirsch, Jameson K.
• Is Part Of: Journal of interpersonal violence. Volume 34:Issue 21/22(2019)
• Page Start: 4443
• Page End: 4458
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: sexual assault victimization -- loneliness -- self-harm behaviors -- suicidal behaviors -- female college students; Violence -- Periodicals; Sex crimes -- Periodicals; Violence -- Périodiques; Crimes sexuels -- Périodiques; 364.15
• DOI: 10.1177/0886260516675920
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0886-2605

Abstract

The present study examined sexual assault victimization and loneliness as predictors of self-harm behaviors in a sample of 224 female college students. Results from conducting regression analysis indicated that both sexual assault victimization and loneliness were unique and significant predictors of self-harm behaviors. This pattern remained even after controlling for concomitant suicidal behaviors. Interestingly, in a post hoc analysis predicting suicidal behaviors, it was found that loneliness, but not sexual assault victimization, was the only unique and significant predictor after controlling for self-harm behaviors. Some implications of the present findings for understanding self-harm behaviors in female college students and the importance of controlling for suicidal behaviors in studies of self-harm behaviors (and vice versa) are discussed.