biostudies-literatureHasking PGlaxoSmithKlineNIMH NIH HHSSouth African Medical Research CouncilPan American Health OrganizationJohn D. and Catherine T. MacArthur FoundationFeilman FoundationEli Lilly and CompanyOrtho-McNeil PharmaceuticalMinistry of Health - Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaConsejo Nacional de Ciencia y TecnologíaInstituto de Salud Carlos IIIKing Abdulaziz City for Science and TechnologySuicide Prevention AustraliaBristol-Myers SquibbHealth CanadaNIDA NIH HHSFIC NIH HHSU.S. Public Health ServiceZonMwPfizer FoundationSaudi Basic Industries CorporationMinisterio de Ciencia e InnovaciónNational Health and Medical Research CouncilKing Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research CentreKing Saud Universitye280https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC12469815biostudies-literatureUnknown55<h4>Background</h4>Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with mental disorders, yet work regarding the direction of this association is inconsistent. We examined the prevalence, comorbidity, time-order associations with mental disorders, and sex differences in sporadic and repetitive NSSI among emerging adults.<h4>Methods</h4>We used survey data from <i>n</i> = 72,288 first-year college students as part of the World Mental Health-International College Student Survey Initiative (WMH-ICS) to explore time-order associations between onset of NSSI and mental disorders, based on retrospective age-of-onset reports using discrete-time survival models. We distinguished between sporadic (1-5 lifetime episodes) and repetitive (≥6 lifetime episodes) NSSI in relation to <i>DSM-5</i> mood, anxiePsychological medicineThe relationships between sporadic and repetitive non-suicidal self-injury and mental disorders among first-year college students: results from the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative.PMC12469815R56 MH109566R13-MH066849, R01-MH069864, and R01 DA016558IIT-H6U-BX-I002FIRCA R03-TW006481R13 MH066849NIMH R01MH070884CONACYT 285548R01 DA016558R01 MH070884R01 MH069864R03 TW006481ID 2032058636110005Lochner CWang AKlinkenberg EO'Neill SGutierrez-Garcia RAlbor YAtwoli LNunez DAlonso JAltwaijri YCuijpers PLima RAHasking PDong DNock MMurray ERapsey CCovarrubias Diaz Couder MHurks PChan SGaete JEbert DJimenez-Perez APetukhova MVBantjes Jvan der Heijde CGarcia Forero CHaro JAl-Saud NHunt XKahlke FAyuya Muaka CPopescu CMason AJaguga FPiqueras JAndersson CLanger ABendtsen MLee SSiu OLRodriguez-Jimenez TValdes-Garcia KMartinez VMusyoka CBaez-Mansur PMcLafferty MRoca MStruijs SYLiu YCristobal-Narvaez PStein DNedelcea CWorld Mental Health – International College Student collaboratorsVoorspoels WBruffaerts RMori TDavid OKessler RWong SRobinson KVigo DSalemink EScarf DBallester LBenjet CBaumeister HHusky MCarrasco PMac-Ginty SBerman AKiekens GAl-Hadi AJansen LCohut ISampson NTomoiaga CfalseThe relationships between sporadic and repetitive non-suicidal self-injury and mental disorders among first-year college students: results from the World Mental Health International College Student Initiative.<h4>Background</h4>Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is associated with mental disorders, yet work regarding the direction of this association is inconsistent. We examined the prevalence, comorbidity, time-order associations with mental disorders, and sex differences in sporadic and repetitive NSSI among emerging adults.<h4>Methods</h4>We used survey data from <i>n</i> = 72,288 first-year college students as part of the World Mental Health-International College Student Survey Initiative (WMH-ICS) to explore time-order associations between onset of NSSI and mental disorders, based on retrospective age-of-onset reports using discrete-time survival models. We distinguished between sporadic (1-5 lifetime episodes) and repetitive (≥6 lifetime episodes) NSSI in relation to <i>DSM-5</i> mood, anxie2025-01-01T00:00:00Z2025 Sep2026-06-04T11:46:35.03Z2026-05-08T03:10:59.122ZS-EPMC124698154099564910.1017/S0033291725100688