A literature review with the participation of Bárbara Cesar Machado, lecturer at the Faculty of Education and Psychology of the Universidade Católica Portuguesa (FEP-UCP) and researcher at the Research Centre for Human Development (CEDH), brought together scientific evidence on the risk and protective factors associated with non-suicidal self-injury, analysing research conducted with individuals belonging to sexual and gender minorities.
The findings suggest that experiences of discrimination, stigma, and social exclusion, as well as various psychological factors, are associated with increased vulnerability to self-injury. In contrast, factors such as family support, safety within the school context, and social support emerge as important protective elements, reinforcing the importance of prevention strategies that promote safer, more inclusive and affirming environments.
Published in the scientific journal “European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education”, the article “Risk and Protective Factors Associated with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals: A Scoping Review” analysed 43 studies published between 2014 and 2026.
According to Bárbara Cesar Machado, “the review sought to map the factors that contribute to increased or decreased vulnerability to non-suicidal self-injury and to understand how these factors interact with one another”.
Discrimination and psychological factors associated with vulnerability
The review identified a consistent association between self-injury behaviours and experiences of discrimination, stigma, victimisation, and social exclusion.
These experiences tend to coexist with psychological vulnerabilities such as depressive symptoms, anxiety, emotional distress, self-criticism, and difficulties in emotion regulation, all of which are associated with greater vulnerability to self-injury.
According to the authors, self-injury should not be understood as the consequence of a single factor. Rather, it results from the interaction of different processes that manifest across various contexts of individuals’ lives, from family and social relationships to broader structural factors.
The review also shows that certain experiences, such as bullying related to sexual orientation or gender identity, violence, rejection, and lack of social support, can have a significant impact on mental health and increase vulnerability to self-injury.
Family, school, and social support make a difference
Although scientific literature has devoted greater attention to risk factors, the review identified several protective factors that appear to contribute to reducing the probability of self-injury. These include family support, positive peer relationships, safety in the school context, self-esteem, psychological resilience, and the ability to cope adaptively with adversity.
The authors also found that connections to family and school can serve as important protective elements, mitigating the negative impact of experiences such as bullying, discrimination, or social exclusion. Social support emerges as one of the most consistent factors in promoting psychological well-being and reducing the risk of self-injury.
Despite these results, the researchers point out an important gap in the research: most studies focus on risk factors, with relatively limited evidence on the mechanisms that promote resilience and protection.
For the research team, these results underscore the importance of developing prevention and intervention strategies that integrate different levels of action. In addition to individual psychological support, it is essential to promote safer, more inclusive and affirming family, school, and community environments, as well as policies that combat discrimination and strengthen access to mental health services tailored to the needs of these populations.
Bárbara Cesar Machado is co-author of the article alongside Filipa Gomes (CiPsi, University of Minho), Carol Coelho (CiPsi, University of Minho), Daniela Fumega (CiPsi, University of Minho), and Sónia Gonçalves (CiPsi, University of Minho).