Childhood adversity, depression, and digital self-harm

Drawing on Agnew’s general strain theory, this study investigates the extent to which adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are associated with engagement in digital self-harm—the anonymous posting of mean or hurtful information about oneself on the internet and social media platforms. It also assesses the extent to which depressive symptoms mediate this association. To address these two issues, we use data collected from 7,799 middle-school and high-school students who participated in the 2019 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey. The results indicate a strong, positive association between cumulative ACEs and recent engagement in digital self-harm, with nearly 50% of this association operating through depressive symptoms. The findings of this study add to the growing body of research linking ACEs to maladaptive behavior, and they identify a new potential causal pathway for understanding youth engagement in digital self-harm.