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October 5, 2025Open Access

A Study of Coping Strategies, Maladaptive Thinking Tendencies and Alexithymia in Students with Intentional Non-Suicidal Self-Harming Behaviour

СЕС.Н. ЕниколоповLomonosov Moscow State University AEA.G. Efremov KKK.D. KhlomovThe Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration

Key Points

Participants with non-suicidal self-harming behaviour displayed higher maladaptive coping styles and alexithymia.
Psychology students showed a significant link to non-suicidal self-harming behaviour compared to students from other fields.
Regression analysis identified maladaptive thinking and alexithymia as predictors of self-harm behaviour.
About 10% of students harmed themselves for the first time during university, highlighting urgent mental health needs.

Abstract

Background. Non-suicidal self-harming behaviour (NSSHB) is now widespread among young people in the world, the number of acts of which, including the one-time ones, can reach, according to various estimates, up to a quarter of the total number of students. Objectives. The study achieved three goals: to study methods and differences in the models of non-suicidal self-harming behaviour (NSSHB) in a sample of students from different subject areas, possible links between non-suicidal self-harming behaviour (NSSHB) and various cognitive impairments, and to study the mechanisms of various cognitive impairments that support NSSHB. Study Participants. The study involved 617 respondents aged 17 to 25 years (Mage = 23.4; SD = 6.53; 475 women (77%) and 142 men (23%), students of various profiles, 400 students of psychological profile of higher education. Methods. The study was carried out on the basis of a survey design using three questionnaires: the scale for the degree of depressing rumination (I-RS), coping styles (CSQ-3), the Toronto alexithymia assessment scale (TAS), and the NSSHB questionnaire. To process quantitative data, regression analysis is used — logistic regression Omnibus test, Cronbach’s α coefficient, Student’s t-criterion. Results. Participants with NSSHB scored significantly higher on maladaptive coping styles and psychology students on alexithymia. These differences were especially noticeable among students with recurrent and recent NSSHB. The maladaptive orientation of thinking and the factor of alexithymia turned out to be the most significant predictors of self-harm behaviour. About 10% of students with NSHB committed self-harm for the first time while studying directly at a university. Psychological profile students are more characterized by NSSHB than students of other profiles (χ2 = 5.54; df = 1; p = 0.019). Conclusions. The results confirm the importance of psychological support services in universities, and the need for further research into the psychological mechanisms of NSSHB. Students who have difficulty recognizing their own emotional states are less able to identify and apply strategies for enduring distress or solving underlying psychological problems.

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