Direct Socialization of Suicide Risk in Adolescent Friendships Is Moderated by Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

Given the importance of friendships and the increased risk for suicide during adolescence, potential socialization of suicidality among peers is essential to examine. Data were obtained from 93 friendship dyads (N = 186) in a community-based, longitudinal study of adolescents (Mage = 15.68, SD = 1.49, 69.9% female, 86.6% white). Adolescents’ and friends’ suicide risk and frequency of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) were assessed at baseline and at 3-month and 6-month follow-up assessments. Cross-lagged, Actor–Partner Interdependence Models (CL-APIM) examined socialization effects over time with the nested, dyadic data. Results indicated that direct socialization of suicide risk did not occur within the whole sample. However, socialization of suicide risk was observed for friends of adolescents with a past-year history of NSSI. The findings underscore the potential for NSSI to function as a susceptibility marker for socialization of suicide risk within adolescent friendships. Current study strengths, limitations, and clinical implications are further discussed.