Abstract
BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among college students is an increasing health concern for practitioners, caregivers, educators, and the broader community. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between early-life environmental unpredictability (ELEU) and NSSI, and to assess the mediating and moderating roles of experiential avoidance within this context among Chinese college students. METHODS: An online questionnaire survey including ELEU, NSSI, experiential avoidance and demographic variables was administered to a sample of 826 Chinese college students. The effect of ELEU on NSSI and the mediating and moderating roles of experiential avoidance on this relationship were examined, respectively. RESULTS: The results indicated that ELEU was positively associated with NSSI and that experiential avoidance mediated this relationship. Moreover, experiential avoidance moderated the association between ELEU and NSSI, particularly enhancing the effect of ELEU on NSSI among college students with high levels of experiential avoidance. CONCLUSIONS: These findings contribute to the literature by elucidating the complex effects of ELEU and experiential avoidance on the emergence of NSSI among undergraduate students through the utilization of both mediation and moderation analyses. Furthermore, this study underscores the importance of prioritizing the reduction of experiential avoidance in interventions designed to decrease NSSI among college students with ELEU.