Childhood maltreatment and nonsuicidal self-injury among younger Chinese prisoners: the mediating role of self-esteem

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a global public health problem that particularly affects youth in prisons. Although there is a well-documented link between childhood maltreatment and NSSI, the underlying mechanisms connecting the two remain unclear. Based on Nock’s integrated theoretical model of NSSI, the current study examined the association between childhood maltreatment and NSSI among younger Chinese prisoners and whether self-esteem mediates this association. A cross-sectional convenience sample of 1,040 participants was recruited from two prisons in central China. A self-administered anonymous questionnaire including information on childhood maltreatment, self-esteem, NSSI and demographic characteristics was administered for each participant. Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to investigate the correlation between two variables. Bootstrapping procedures were employed to assess the mediating effect. NSSI was positively correlated with childhood maltreatment and negatively associated with self-esteem. The relationship between childhood maltreatment and NSSI was mediated by self-esteem, with 33.4% of the total effect of childhood maltreatment being explained. The ratio was higher in males (62.5%) than in females (14.4%), and it was higher in prisoners under 24 years old (37.5%) than in those over 24 years old (27.9%). These observations emphasize the importance of combining environmental and intrapersonal factors when assessing NSSI among prisoners, thereby contributing to its prevention and intervention in prisons.