BACKGROUND: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a growing public health concern among adolescents, often co-occurring with depression. Understanding the research landscape in this area is crucial for advancing knowledge and improving interventions.

AIM: To investigate the current state of research on NSSI in adolescent depression using bibliometric methods, identifying key research hotspots, influential contributors, and emerging trends.

METHODS: This study analyzed 777 articles published between 2014 and 2024, extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection. VOSviewer and CiteSpace were employed to visualize and analyze the data, focusing on country, journals, authors, citations, and keywords.

RESULTS: Research output in this field has significantly increased, with China and the United States leading in publications. The Journal of Affective Disorders has emerged as the most influential journal, and You Jianing as the most prolific author. Co-citation and keyword analysis highlighted key areas, including risk factors (e.g., gender, sexual orientation, anxiety, childhood trauma), comorbidities (e.g., borderline personality disorder, neuroticism, sleep disorders, addiction), and reliable assessment tools. Additionally, analysis of co-cited references and keyword evolution indicated that childhood trauma and internet addiction are emerging research frontiers.

CONCLUSION: This bibliometric analysis provides a comprehensive overview of research on NSSI in adolescent depression, offering valuable insights for understanding current trends, key contributors, and future directions in this critical area of adolescent mental health.

CORE TIP: This study employs bibliometric analysis to provide a comprehensive overview of research on non-suicidal self-injury in adolescent depression from 2014 to 2024. It identifies key research hotspots, including risk factors like gender, sexual orientation, anxiety, and childhood trauma, as well as comorbidities such as borderline personality disorder and sleep disorders. The analysis highlights the evolving research landscape, with emerging trends focusing on childhood trauma, internet addiction, and reliable assessment tools. This study serves as a valuable resource for researchers seeking to understand the current state of research and identify future directions in this critical area of adolescent mental health.