Shenakht Journal of Psychology & Psychiatry

 Introduction: Self-harm behaviors have been one of the significant issues in the field of adolescent sanity, which is associated with diverse range of contributing components.
Aim: The present study aimed to the exmine the causal model of tendency towards self-harm behaviors based on the perception of conflict between parents and attachment styles with the mediation role of rumination in adolescent female in Ahvaz.
Method: This study employed a descriptive-correlational design with path analysis. The statistical population comprised all female first-year high school students in Ahvaz during the 2022–2023 academic year. A sample of 200 students was selected through cluster random sampling, in accordance with Kline’s guidelines. To collect data,  Self-Harm Inventory, Perception of conflict between parents, Attachment styles, and Ruminative Responses Scales were implemented. The data were analyzed using  regression and path analysis in SPSS-24 and AMOS-24 softwares.
Results: The results indicated that the direct path coefficients of secure attachment style (β = -0.295), insecure-avoidant attachment (β = 0.104), insecure-ambivalent attachment (β = 0.302), and rumination (β = 0.433) on self-harm behaviors were statistically significant. However, the direct path from perception of parental conflict to self-harm behaviors was not significant. Analysis of indirect effects further revealed that rumination served as a significant mediator in the model (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The results showed that the tendency to self-harm behaviors based on the perception of conflict between parents and attachment styles was mediated by rumination; therefore, reducing parental conflict and appropriate attachment styles could be essential components in designing therapeutic interventions for self-injurious behaviors in adolescent females