The aims of this study were to investigate the rates of deliberate self‐harm (DSH) behavior among an Italian adolescent sample, as well as to explore its clinical correlates. On a sample of 234 adolescents in Italian secondary schools (Mean age = 16.47; SD = 1.7) were assessed the DSH as well as externalizing symptoms (including both conduct disorder [CD] and oppositional defiant disorder [ODD] symptoms), borderline personality disorder [BPD] symptoms, dissociative symptoms, and the incidence of life‐stressors. Consistent with past research on DSH in youth, 42% of the adolescents in this sample engaged in DSH. Results indicate a positive association between DSH and all psychopathological correlates, including BPD, dissociative, and ODD and CD symptoms. Further, findings revealed an association between DSH and specific life‐stressors (i.e., psychological and sexual abuse, natural disasters and serious accidents, the loss of someone important, and the witnessing of family violence or a serious accident).

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This study aims to explore rates of deliberate self-harm (DSH) behaviors and their psychological and psychopathological correlates within a sample of nonclinical young adults (N = 365; 63% women; M age = 23 ± 4.06). Participants completed the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory and other self-report questionnaires assessing clinical (borderline personality, dissociative, and depersonalization traits) and nonclinical (body perception, behavioral inhibition and activation, cognitive emotional regulation, and the Big Five traits) dimensions of their personality. The rate of DSH in the present sample was 39%, comparable to that found in previous studies of young adults in other countries. Further, consistent with past research, DSH was found to be associated with clinical dimensions of personality pathology, including borderline personality and dissociative symptoms. Finally, results revealed an association between DSH and nonclinical dimensions of personality, including the behavioral activation dimension of fun-seeking, more negative body perception and lower body protection, the use of more nonadaptive cognitive strategies for regulating emotions, higher levels of openness to experience, and lower levels of emotional stability. This pattern of results is consistent with those found for other impulsive behaviors and impulse control disorders.

In the last years, intimate partner violence (IPV) became a relevant problem for community and for social life, particularly in young people. Its correct assessment and evaluation in the population is mandatory. Our objectives were: Confirm factor structure of Dating Violence Questionnaire (DVQ) and investigate its convergent and divergent validity. The DVQ along with other personality measures were filled by a sample of 418 university students (Females = 310) of average age of 23 y.o. (SD = 4.71). A subsample of participants (223 students) consented in being involved also in retest and filled also the Revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire (short form) and a brief scale for describing the behavior of the (past) partner after the breaking of the relationship (BRS). The 8-factor structure, with respect to the two other competing models, reported better fit indexes and showed significant correlations with other personality measures. Personality traits, both Neuroticism and Psychoticism, correlated with Sexual Violence, while Detachment correlated only with Neuroticism and Coercion, Humiliation and Physical Violence correlated with only Psychoticism. Extraversion did not report significant relationships with any of the 8 DVQ factors. Also the predictive validity of DVQ was satisfactory with the partner violent reaction to the break of relationship predicted positively predicted by Coercion (b = 0.22) and by Humiliation (b = 0.20) and negatively by Emotional Punishment (b = -0.18). The present results indicate a good factor structure of the questionnaire, and interesting correlations with personality traits, allowing to identify psychological aspects with a predisposing role for anti-social aggressive behaviors. Further studies will be aimed at ascertaining other possible determinants of intimate partner violence and the weight of cultural aspects.

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