Introduction
Positive family environment demonstrated protective effects against adolescent self-harming intentions and behaviors. Emerging evidence suggested that overall life satisfaction and mindsets toward negative emotions play critical roles in these relationships, with potential gender-specific variations.
Purpose
This study examined whether life satisfaction mediates, and growth mindset moderates, the relationship between family environment and adolescent non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and suicidality among boys and girls.
Method
Data from a large-scale school survey with two waves was collected at a one-year interval (N=3,151) to examine the longitudinal association. Descriptive statistics, correlations, as well as mediation and moderation models were employed to investigate the interaction mechanisms separately among girls and boys.
Results
Compared to girls, boys reported lower prevalence of NSSI and suicidality, higher life satisfaction, and stronger growth mindsets. A positive family environment was found to reduce NSSI, suicidal ideation, and attempt by enhancing adolescents' life satisfaction. Growth mindset amplified the protective effects of positive family environment, with gender differences observed: it moderated the longitudinal association between family environment and life satisfaction among boys (p = 0.011), and the direct link to suicidal attempt in girls (p = 0.036).
Conclusions
The study highlighted the universal protective mechanisms of positive family environments and life satisfaction, alongside heterogeneity in the moderating effects of growth mindset across genders.
Implications
There is a need to advance more nuanced theoretical frameworks of adolescent development. Moreover, both life satisfaction and growth mindset represent promising targets for intervention and policy development, with attention to gender-sensitive pathways recommended to optimize effectiveness.