Effects of parental and peer attachment and internet addiction on the relationship of depression and self-harm.

Abstract

When studying self-injury, depression is a constant, however, contextual factors that are related to both problems are left out. The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of Internet addiction, parent and peer attachment on the relationship between depression and self-harm and to explain self-harm through the mediation of Internet addiction. 433 adolescents from secondary school participated in the study. The self-harm certificate, the Beck IA depression inventory, the parent and peer attachment inventory for adolescents and the Internet addiction test were applied. A mediation analysis was performed that obtained a direct effect of 0.13 and a total of 0.20, showing that Internet addiction has a potentiating effect. We also performed a moderation analysis obtaining a conditional effect of 0.12 which shows a buffer effect of communication and trust with parents. Young people with traits of depression will decrease their self-harm behaviors thanks to greater communication and trust with their parents and adolescents who are addicted to the internet will increase the probability of engaging in self-harm behaviors. The fact that the study is not causal and that there are few references from the Latin American context are a limitation. Future studies should involve context variables such as family and internet related variables.