Adolescent "Self-Harm Games": Triadic Reciprocal Mechanisms and Preventive Strategies

Abstract

"Self-harm games," an aberrant manifestation of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), have garnered significant societal concern due to their programmatic, covert, and coercive nature, which profoundly compromises the physical and mental well-being of adolescents. This phenomenon extends beyond simple behavioral imitation; rather, it emerges from a vicious interaction among environmental induction, cognitive reconstruction, and behavioral reinforcement. Protecting adolescents from the detrimental impacts of toxic subcultures and ensuring a healthy developmental environment is a critical public health priority. Consequently, it is imperative to establish a collaborative, multisectoral mechanism. By implementing multidimensional interventions-encompassing environmental regulation, cognitive guidance, and behavioral correction-the generative chain of self-harm games can be effectively severed, thereby safeguarding the healthy development of adolescents.