The Longitudinal Association Between School Sports Atmosphere and Non-suicidal Self-injury Among Adolescents: The Chain Mediating Roles of School Connectedness and School Bullying Victimization

Every day, millions of teenagers navigate the complex social landscape of school, a place where they spend a significant portion of their waking hours. For many, this environment is a source of learning and friendship, but for others, it can be a place of isolation, conflict, or emotional distress. When the pressure becomes too great, some adolescents turn to non-suicidal self-injury, a serious behavior where individuals intentionally hurt their own bodies, such as by cutting or scratching, not to end their lives but to cope with overwhelming feelings. This is not a rare occurrence; it is a major public health concern that affects a significant portion of the youth population globally. While the reasons behind this behavior are often rooted in deep emotional pain, researchers are increasingly looking at the school environment itself as a potential key to understanding and preventing it. Specifically, they are investigating how the atmosphere surrounding sports and physical activity in schools might influence a student's sense of belonging and their safety from bullying, and how these factors, in turn, might protect against self-harm.

A recent study conducted by researchers at ShenYang University set out to trace these connections over time. Rather than simply asking students how they felt at a single moment, the team followed a group of nearly one thousand secondary school students across China for six months. They measured four specific things at the beginning of the study and again six months later: how positive the students felt about their school's sports atmosphere, how connected they felt to their school community, how often they experienced bullying, and how frequently they engaged in self-injury. The goal was to see if a supportive sports environment at the start of the period could predict a reduction in self-injury later on, and to understand the path that leads from the gymnasium to the mind.

The findings revealed a clear and hopeful pattern. Students who perceived their school's sports atmosphere as more supportive and positive at the beginning of the study were significantly less likely to report self-injury behaviors six months later. This suggests that the environment matters. When a school fosters an atmosphere where physical activity is encouraged and accessible, it appears to set off a chain of positive events. The study showed that a positive sports atmosphere helped students feel more connected to their school. This sense of connection, often described as feeling accepted, respected, and included by teachers and peers, acted as a protective shield. Students who felt this way were less likely to be bullied and, consequently, less likely to turn to self-injury.

The researchers mapped out three distinct ways this protection worked. First, a positive sports atmosphere directly strengthened a student's feeling of belonging to the school. This stronger bond made them less likely to engage in self-harm later on. Second, a supportive sports environment was linked to a lower likelihood of being bullied six months later. When students are less frequently targeted by bullies, their risk of self-injury decreases. Finally, the study identified a chain reaction: a positive sports atmosphere boosted a student's sense of belonging, which in turn made them less likely to be bullied, and this reduced exposure to bullying ultimately lowered their risk of self-injury. In total, these indirect pathways explained a large portion of the relationship between the school's sports culture and the students' mental well-being.

The study also highlighted that these effects were not just a matter of correlation at a single point in time. By measuring the students twice, the researchers could see how one factor led to another over the course of six months. For instance, the feeling of belonging at the start of the study predicted a lower risk of being bullied later, which then predicted lower levels of self-injury. This timeline helps confirm that the school environment plays an active role in shaping these outcomes, rather than just reflecting them. The data indicated that the positive influence of a supportive sports atmosphere was substantial, with the various pathways accounting for a significant share of the total effect on reducing self-injury.

While the results are promising, the researchers noted certain boundaries to their work. The study relied on students reporting their own experiences, which can sometimes be influenced by how they wish to be perceived or how they remember events. Additionally, the participants were drawn from urban areas in eastern, central, and western China, meaning the findings might not fully apply to students in rural communities or those from different cultural backgrounds. The study also focused on a specific set of factors, leaving other potential influences on self-injury outside the model. Despite these limitations, the six-month window provided a clearer picture of how these dynamics unfold than a single snapshot ever could.

The implications of these findings point toward practical steps schools can take. By investing in a supportive sports atmosphere, schools may do more than just improve physical fitness; they may be building a foundation of emotional safety. This involves not only providing facilities and equipment but also fostering an environment where students feel they belong and are supported by their teachers and peers. When students feel connected and safe from bullying, they are less likely to feel the need to harm themselves to cope with their pain. The study suggests that the path to preventing self-injury may well begin in the school gym, on the playing field, and in the shared experiences of physical activity that bring a community together.