Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Trauma Symptoms Among Emerging Adults of Kashmir and Delhi-NCR: A Comparative Study

Introduction: Trauma symptoms external to the formal diagnosis of PTSD are common in individuals with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), but there is a lack of literature linking the two variables directly. Objectives: The primary objective was to study and compare NSSI and trauma symptoms among emerging adults of Kashmir and Delhi-NCR. Method: The NSSI Assessment Tool (NSSI-AT), and The Trauma Symptom Checklist-40 (TSC-40) were administered to a sample of 124 individuals falling between the age range of 18-29 years. Results: NSSI was absent in 52.4% and present in 47.6% of the sample and trauma symptoms were more profound in the individuals with NSSI than those without NSSI. A strong positive correlation between NSSI and trauma symptoms and a significant difference of trauma symptoms and NSSI between the two groups was discovered. Trauma symptoms significantly added to the prediction of NSSI, whereas domicile did not have a significant impact on it. Kashmiri emerging adults were 2.385 times more likely to present with NSSI than Delhi-NCR emerging adults. Our findings also suggest that experiencing trauma symptoms increase the risk of having NSSI. Conclusion: At risk individuals with high magnitude of trauma symptoms should be identified and examined in clinical settings for NSSI to prevent its intensification into possible suicides; safe and effective interventions targeting traumatic symptoms in preliminary stages to manage and prevent NSSI and future suicide attempts should be designed; and interventions at governmental and institutional levels for trauma symptoms should be introduced to curb the prevalence of NSSI and therefore, suicides.