Non-Suicidal Self-Injury: A School-Based Peer Education Program for Adolescents During COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) constitutes a major health concern among youth. However, less is known about the useful ways to prevent NSSI. As such, the NSSI- Peer Education Program (NSSI-PEP) aims to intervene on the vulnerability factors that predispose to NSSI by applying a peer education approach. The NSSI-PEP is grounded on the psychoanalytic tradition's tenets, implementing modules targeting four crucial risk factors for NSSI: pubertal transformation, body image, self-esteem, and emotion regulation.

Methods: Selected 8 ^th grade students were trained to serve as peer educators and held a peer-education intervention for 6 ^th and 7 ^th grade students. Pre- and post-intervention assessments were conducted in order to evaluate the program's effectiveness.

Results: Results revealed preliminary support for the program's feasibility, as students reported greater emotion regulation abilities ( p = 0.038) and significant changes in self-esteem ( p< 0.001), personal alienation ( p = 0.005), body image ( p < 0.001), and maturity fear ( p < 0.001). Also, NSSI-PEP was positively evaluated by participants.

Discussion: Our pilot study provides preliminary empirical support for the NSSI-PEP, representing a promising way to address areas of vulnerability for NSSI onset. Findings may also help current policies to promote targeted preventive activities and produce sizable benefits to society.