Draft Research Proposal-Week 1(20241008)

[Last modified: October, 8 2024 03:36 PM]

Topic: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury (NSSI) in Chinese Adolescents: An Exploration of Family Dynamics and Cultural Contexts

Research background: Non-Suicidal Self-Injury(NSSI) refers to the intentional destruction of one’s own body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially sanctioned. NSSI is most common among adolescents and young adults, and onset typically occurs around age 13. Previous meta-analyses indicated that factors at family level, for example, trouble parenting style, poor parent-child relationship, adverse family experiences, poor family environment, low parental availability, socioeconomic status, and risk parental personality traits, which may trigger higher risk of an individual’s NSSI behaviors. The NSSI family distress cascade theory indicates a dynamic and reciprocal patterns of influence between parents’ NSSI behaviors and their children’s.

While there’s growing global research on NSSI, there’s less focus on how Chinese family systems and cultural norms specifically influence this behavior.

Research questions:

1. What is the relationship between family systems and adolescent NSSI behavior in China(how do family systems shape Chinese adolescentscharacteristics)?
2. How does the broader socio-cultural context, such as stigmas around mental health, affect the coping mechanisms of Chinese adolescents?
3. How do cultural beliefs around mental health and family honor affect the way adolescents express emotional distress through NSSI?
4. What coping mechanisms are used by adolescents to navigate family pressures, and how do these relate to NSSI behaviors?
5. How do parents and caregivers interpret and respond to NSSI behavior within the cultural context of China?

Method:

Research Design:

Ethnographic Fieldwork: Conduct participant observation and interviews with Chinese adolescents who engage in NSSI, as well as their families.

Interviews/Case-studies: Include semi-structured interviews with adolescents, parents, caregivers, and mental health professionals (if possible).

Data Collection:

Field Site: Select a region or community in China where the study will take place, potentially focusing on urban vs. rural dynamics or socioeconomic differences.

Participants: Adolescents (ages 12-18) who have a history of NSSI and their family members.

Techniques: Participant observation in family settings, analysis of family interactions, and how mental health care is discussed in everyday life.

Data Analysis:

Cultural analysis will be crucial for understanding how Chinese cultural norms (e.g., saving face, familial duty) manifest in family responses to NSSI.

I want to explore how Chinese families attempt to “manage” or “fix” this behavior to restore balance, and investigate how the family system functions to maintain social order, and how behaviors like NSSI might be seen as a disruption to familial harmony.

Ethical Considerations: Adolescents and family members should be fully informed about the research process, and their participation must be voluntary.

Potential findings related and future discussion:  

1. The urban and rural family systems, as expectations and stressors may vary significantly.
2. The cultural stigmas around mental health in Chinese families may contribute to adolescents’ reluctance to seek help or openly discuss emotional distress.
3. The space outside the families, the role of social media or online forums where adolescents may discuss NSSI, potentially offering a new space for identity negotiation or emotional support in the absence of familial understanding.

Reference:

1.  Klonsky ED. The functions of deliberate self-injury: a review of the evidence. Clin Psychol Rev. 2007;27(2):226–239.
2.  Qu, Diyang et al. Non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese population: a scoping review of prevalence, method, risk factors and preventive interventions. The Lancet Regional Health-Western Pacific, Volume 37, 100794
3.  Martin J, Bureau J F, Yurkowski K, et al. Family-based risk factors for non-suicidal self-injury: Considering influences of maltreatment, adverse family-life experiences, and parent–child relational risk[J]. Journal of adolescence, 2016, 49: 170-180.
4.  Waals L, Baetens I, Rober P, et al. The NSSI family distress cascade theory[J]. Child and adolescent psychiatry and mental health, 2018, 12: 1-6.