Young and Troubled: A Comprehensive Study of Longitudinal Development and Time-Trends in Self-Injury, Disordered Eating, and Mental Health Challenges among Youth

Research problem and specific questionsNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and disordered eating (DE) represent common problems among adolescents, that are still insufficiently understood.

The purpose of the present project is to increase our knowledge about both their causal background and their long-term development.

The project has two main parts: (1) The first part of the project focuses on time trends and asks if the frequency of NSSI and DE (as well as associated factors and patterns) has changed among young adolescents over the past two decades.

This part of the project also includes a neurophysiological part, asking about interactions between psychological and biological factors in the development of NSSI and De. (2) The second part of the project asks about (a) the mental health and well-being in young adulthood of those who engaged in NSSI and DE as adolescents; (b) predictors of stability versus change in NSSI and DE from adolescence into adulthood; and (c) the psychological differences between adults who engaged in repetitive NSSI, infrequent NSSI and no NSSI in adolescence.

This part of the project also includes qualitative interviews about life situation and well-being in adulthood.Data and methodThe proposed studies represent the development of a longitudinal project which has followed two school cohorts in a Swedish municipality through three waves of data collection, starting in 2007 (T1) with grades 7-8 (Mage=14), continuing in 2008 (T2) with grades 8-9 (Mage=15), and including a 10-year follow-up in 2018 (T3; Mage=25).

The first part of the project involves the collection of new data from present-day 14-15-year old students in the same municipality that was addressed in 2007-2008. A subgroup will be selected for the neurophysiological data collection.

The second part of the project involves a fourth wave of data collection in the form of a 15-16-year follow-up of the original school cohorts.

A subgroup will be selected for the interviews.Societal relevance and utilisationMany young adolescents engage in NSSI and DE, and some of them develop severe forms of psychopathology with much individual suffering and considerable costs for society.

The present project may produce new knowledge that is potentially important for prevention and treatment of NSSI and DE.Plan for project realizationThe project is a direct continuation of our already existing longitudinal project, and we have the required experience and expertise for it.