The Role of Childhood Trauma, Cognitive Flexibility, and Cognitive Distortions in Predicting Self-harming Behaviors among Female Adolescents

Background: Increasing public health concerns are being raised about adolescent self-harming behaviors. The previous study indicates that childhood trauma can be related to self-harm. Objectives: The study aimed to investigate the relationship between childhood trauma, cognitive flexibility, and cognitive distortions in predicting self-harming behaviors among female adolescents in Shahrood, Iran. Materials & Methods: The research method was cross-sectional. The statistical population of the study included all female students in the junior high schools of Shahrood, Iran in the academic year ۲۰۲۲-۲۳.  A sample of ۲۲۰ female adolescents (aged ۱۳–۱۵) was recruited through multi-stage sampling. Participants had at least one self-harming behavior in their clinical records. The child Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory-Iranian Version, The Cognitive Distortion Scale, and Self-Harm Behavior Questionnaire were completed. Data were analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient and multivariate linear regression model. Results: The mean age of study participants was ۱۳.۷۰ (standard deviation=۱.۰۲), almost ۷۳% of the samples were from ۱۳ to ۱۴ years old, and most students came from three- and four-member families (۸۱%). Findings of multivariate linear regression revealed that childhood trauma (β=۰.۱۳۷, t=۲.۸۲۸) and cognitive distortions (β = ۰.۱۸۸, t=۳.۹۴۰) were positive and significant predictors of self-harming behaviors in adolescents. Moreover, Cognitive flexibility (β = -۰.۲۳۷, t=-۴.۹۵۷) was a negative and significant predictor of self-harming behaviors in adolescents. Conclusion: The results of this study may have implications for increasing mental health awareness among students and school programs to prevent self-harm.

کلیدواژه ها:

Childhood trauma ، Cognitive flexibility ، Cognitive distortions ، Self-harming behavior