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Bulletin of Practical Psychology of Education
2025. Vol. 22, no. 4, 3–20
doi:10.17759/bppe.2025220401
ISSN: 2658-3100 (online)

The reasons for the formation of non-suicidal self-destructive behavior of adolescents: the results of content analysis of publications on social networks

 
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Abstract

Context and relevance. Non-suicidal self-destructive behavior among the younger generation is an urgent problem of our time. Data analysis demonstrates a wide range of reasons leading to the formation of this behavioral pattern. Objective. Identify and describe the main causes of non-suicidal self-destructive behavior in children and adolescents from 2020 to 2025. Hypothesis. In the context of modern social changes, it is possible to identify the main factors contributing to the development of non-suicidal self-harm behavior in children and adolescents. Methods and materials. In the course of an empirical study, a content analysis procedure was carried out for posts and messages in the Selfharm House group on the VKontakte social network. The authors analyzed 60 posts and messages containing teenagers' stories about NSSP. When processing the results, we applied the methods of descriptive and analytical statistics. Results. The authors carried out a theoretical analysis of scientific papers on the research topic published from 2020 to 2025. The results of empirical research have shown that the main determinants are two interrelated groups of causes: social factors, namely family relationships; emotional characteristics, such as the inability to cope with stress. Conclusions. It has been shown that there are the most common causes of the formation of NSSP in adolescents. The practical significance of the study lies in the possibility of using the results to develop effective prevention and support programs for adolescents.

General Information

Keywords: non-suicidal self-destructive behavior, self-destructive behavior, autoaggression, adolescents, causes, content analysis

Journal rubric: Scientific and Methodological Support for the Professional Activities of Teacher-Psychologists

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17759/bppe.2025220401

Received 25.06.2025

Revised 22.10.2025

Accepted

Published

For citation: Vasyagina, N.N., Taktueva, I.G. (2025). The reasons for the formation of non-suicidal self-destructive behavior of adolescents: the results of content analysis of publications on social networks. Bulletin of Practical Psychology of Education, 22(4), 3–20. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.17759/bppe.2025220401

© Vasyagina N.N., Taktueva I.G., 2025

License: CC BY-NC 4.0

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Information About the Authors

Nataliya N. Vasyagina, Doctor of Psychology, professor, Head of the Chair of Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Ural State Pedagogical University, Deputy Director, Center for Psychological, Pedagogical, Medical and Social Assistance “Lado” (GBU SO TsPPMSP “Lado”), Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3899-3768, e-mail: vasyagina_n@mail.ru

Iuliia G. Taktueva, postgraduate student, assistant, Department of Psychology of Education, Institute of Psychology, Ural State Pedagogical University, Ekaterinburg, Russian Federation, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4734-0307, e-mail: taktueva97@mail.ru

Contribution of the authors

Nataliya N. Vasyagina — ideas; annotation, writing and design of the manuscript; planning of the research; control over the research.

Iuliia G. Taktueva — application of statistical, mathematical or other methods for data analysis; conducting the experiment; data collection and analysis; visualization of research results.

All authors participated in the discussion of the results and approved the final text of the manuscript.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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