ABSTRACT
Objective@# To evaluate the intervention effectiveness of broken window effect combined with narrative nursing on non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) in adolescents, so as to provide the basis for NSSI prevention in adolescents.@*Methods@#Totally 134 adolescents with NSSI admitted to Mental Health Center of the Affiliated Hospital of Anhui West Health Vocational College from January 2022 to December 2023 were enrolled and randomly assigned into the control and treatment group. All were given narrative nursing and routine care, and the adolescents in the treatment group were given additional intervention based on broken window effect. The effects were evaluated using Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Hamilton Depression Scale (HAMD), Self-Rating Idea of Suicide Scale (SIOSS), Ottawa Self-injury Inventory-Functions (OSI-F) and Nursing Satisfaction Scale, and the two groups were compared before and after intervention.@*Results@#The treatment and control groups comprised 67 cases each, had a median age of 14.12 (interquartile range, 2.01) years and 14.10 (interquartile range, 1.52) years, included 71.64% and 68.66% girls, and 79.10% and 74.63% junior high school students, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences between the treatment and control groups in terms of gender, age or educational level (all P>0.05). The results of analysis of variance for repeated measures showed that there were interactions between time and group for SDS, HAMD and SIOSS scores (all P<0.05), and the decrease in scores before and after intervention was greater in the treatment group than in the control group. After intervention, the SDS, HAMD, SIOSS score and incidence of suicidal behaviors in the treatment group were all lower than the control group [SDS: (32.54±1.27) vs. (44.25±2.23); HAMD: (10.54±1.83) vs. (18.73±1.89); SIOSS: (10.37±2.20) vs. (15.76±1.62); incidence of suicidal behavior: 14.93% vs. 32.84%; all P<0.05]. The nursing satisfaction rate was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group (98.51% vs. 88.06%, P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#The broken window effect combined with narrative nursing would improve the depressive symptoms in adolescents with NSSI, and reduce the suicidal ideation and self injury.