In recent years, the phenomenon of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has emerged as a critical public health issue, particularly among adolescents who navigate complex emotional landscapes. New research from Tehran sheds light on a unique subgroup within this demographic: adolescent athletes. These young individuals face intense physical and psychological demands that distinguish their experiences from their non-athlete peers. With mounting pressures to perform and the challenges inherent in balancing sports with everyday life, understanding the interplay between emotion regulation and self-injurious behaviors in this population has become a vital area of mental health investigation.
The study, conducted by E. Norouzi and published in BMC Psychiatry, offers a compelling exploration of how cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation strategies are associated with the manifestation of self-injurious behaviors among young Iranian athletes. Adolescence is already a turbulent period marked by rapid physiological changes and emotional upheaval; combining this with the stressors unique to competitive sports may exacerbate vulnerability to maladaptive coping mechanisms like NSSI. By focusing on athletes, Norouzi extends the understanding of self-injury beyond general youth populations, emphasizing the nuanced pressures that influence mental well-being in sports contexts.
Methodologically, the research enlisted 456 adolescent athletes aged 13 to 18 from Tehran, balancing a gender distribution of just over 40% female and nearly 60% male participants. Utilizing rigorous survey tools designed to evaluate both the frequency and intensity of self-injury and the cognitive and behavioral components of emotion regulation, the study offers quantitative insights into their interconnectedness. The cognitive domain of emotion regulation encompasses internal mental strategies—such as reappraisal or rumination—while behavioral regulation involves outward actions affecting emotions, including avoidance or approach behaviors.
One of the standout findings of this investigation is the notably high prevalence of self-injurious behaviors among adolescent athletes in Tehran, a result highlighting a significant and previously underappreciated mental health dilemma in this demographic. The data underscore that emotion regulation is not merely an abstract psychological concept but one intimately entwined with the tangible and distressing phenomenon of NSSI. Such behaviors, often characterized by deliberate harm to one’s body without suicidal intent, have critical implications for long-term psychological health and require focused prevention strategies.
Statistical analyses revealed that behavioral emotion regulation strategies were the most powerful predictors of self-injury among the cohort. This suggests that the ways in which adolescents manage emotions through their actions—such as impulsively cutting or burning themselves—play a pivotal role in the onset or maintenance of NSSI. Cognitive regulation mechanisms were also significant predictors but held secondary influence. This differential weighting of emotion regulation types opens new avenues for refining therapeutic interventions, emphasizing behaviors alongside cognitive reframing in treatment protocols.
The implications of these findings extend well beyond the research setting into practical applications within sports psychology and adolescent mental health services. Intervention programs aimed at enhancing emotional resilience in young athletes should incorporate training on adaptive behavioral regulation. Skill-building exercises that promote healthy management of anxiety, frustration, or competitive stress could reduce the tendency toward self-injury as a maladaptive coping strategy. Coaches, parents, and healthcare providers must be attuned to emotional dysregulation signs and foster environments that encourage expression and emotional literacy.
Moreover, this research challenges a common perception that athletic engagement is purely beneficial for adolescent mental health. While sports participation is widely recognized for promoting physical fitness and social interaction, it can simultaneously generate high-stress contexts where emotion regulation capabilities are severely tested. The dual-edged nature of athletics necessitates a delicate balance in support systems to safeguard mental well-being alongside physical development.
The study’s Tehran-based sample importantly reflects cultural nuances in the experience of adolescent athletes, addressing a gap in globalization of mental health research. Societal expectations, familial pressures, and local stigmas surrounding both mental illness and competitive sports likely modulate emotion regulation and self-injury patterns. This localized focus underscores the need for context-sensitive mental health strategies that resonate with cultural realities, enhancing the efficacy of interventions.
Furthermore, the research pioneers the inclusion of adolescent athletes within the broader discourse of self-harm literature, which has historically emphasized general adolescent populations or clinical samples. By elucidating the relationships between self-injury and both cognitive and behavioral emotion regulation specifically in athletes, it offers a tailored understanding that can inspire targeted support services within athletic institutions and educational settings.
In design and analytic strategy, the use of Pearson correlation and regression modeling strengthens the validity of the connections established between emotion regulation and self-injury. These statistical methods quantify linear relationships and predictive power, providing compelling evidence that can inform clinical hypotheses and guide future experimental designs. The clear delineation of behavioral emotion regulation as the primary predictor foregrounds the importance of action-oriented emotional management skills.
From a theoretical perspective, the study reinforces existing psychological models that position emotion regulation deficits as central in the development of NSSI. The data align with the premise that difficulties in effectively modulating emotional state contribute to aggressive self-directed behaviors, supporting ongoing efforts to integrate emotion regulation training into therapeutic frameworks. The nuanced findings differentiating behavioral and cognitive processes invite refinement of these models to consider component-specific influences more precisely.
Looking ahead, this pioneering research invites replication in diverse athletic populations and cultural settings, which could validate and extend its findings. Longitudinal studies tracking the evolution of emotion regulation and self-injury over time could illuminate causal pathways and developmental trajectories. Additionally, qualitative investigations examining the subjective experiences of adolescent athletes struggling with NSSI may deepen understanding of contextual triggers and personal narratives that underlie statistical trends.
Ultimately, Norouzi’s work serves as a clarion call to the mental health, sports medicine, and educational communities. It underscores the urgency of addressing self-injury through comprehensive approaches that prioritize emotion regulation skill development in young athletes, fostering not only their athletic potential but also their holistic psychological health. As awareness of the mental toll in youth sports escalates, this research equips stakeholders with vital evidence to shape responsive, empathetic, and effective interventions.
Subject of Research: The relationship between self-injurious behaviors and emotion regulation in Iranian adolescent athletes.
Article Title: Examine the relationship between self-injurious behaviors and emotion regulation in Iranian adolescent athletes.
Article References:
Norouzi, E. Examine the relationship between self-injurious behaviors and emotion regulation in Iranian adolescent athletes. BMC Psychiatry 25, 475 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-025-06921-1
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