Alterations in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis may link childhood maltreatment to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) behaviors. A study examined the impact of different maltreatment types on NSSI among 295 Chinese adolescents, average age 10.79 years. Researchers used latent profile analysis to categorize maltreatment into four patterns: Low Maltreatment (67.8%), High Neglect (15.6%), Moderate Maltreatment (10.2%), and High Abuse with Moderate Neglect (6.4%). Findings revealed that adolescents in the High Neglect group faced a higher risk of NSSI due to elevated waking cortisol levels. In contrast, those in the High Abuse with Moderate Neglect group were at risk due to a steeper diurnal cortisol slope. The study highlights how disturbances in cortisol rhythms may mediate the effects of childhood maltreatment on later NSSI behaviors. These insights could help identify at-risk youth and enhance prevention strategies for NSSI.