Nonsuicidal self-injury in young adolescent girls: Moderators of the distress-function relationship.

Abstract

This study examined nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) in a community sample of young adolescent girls. Potential moderators of the relationships between different types of distress (internal and interpersonal) and particular functions of NSSI (emotion-regulation and interpersonal) were explored. Participants included 94 girls (49% Hispanic; 25% African American) ages 10-14 years who completed questionnaires regarding self-injurious behavior and other constructs of interest. Fifty-six percent of girls (n = 53) reported engaging in NSSI during their lifetime, including 36% (n = 34) in the past year. Internal distress (depressive symptoms) was associated with engaging in NSSI for emotion-regulation functions, and rumination moderated the relationship between depressive symptoms and engaging in NSSI for automatic positive reinforcement. Interpersonal distress (peer victimization) was associated with engaging in NSSI for social reinforcement, and quality of peer communication moderated this relationship. The clinical implications of these findings include designing preventions that address the particular contexts of self-injurious behavior.

Actions speak louder than words: An elaborated theoretical model of the social functions of self-injury and other harmful behaviors

“…As outlined in the top left corner of Figure 2, this creates the four functions of automatic negative reinforcement (i.e., removal or distraction from aversive thoughts or feelings), automatic positive reinforcement (i.e., feeling generation), social positive reinforcement (i.e., obtaining a favorable social response), and social negative reinforcement (i.e., removal or distraction from external events). The structural validity, internal consistency reliability, and construct validity of the FFM have been supported in our earlier work (Nock & Prinstein, 2004, 2005 and the model has received independent support from other research groups (e.g., Hilt, Cha, & Nolen-Hoeksema, 2008;Lloyd-Richardson, Perrine, Dierker, & Kelley, 2007).…”

“…In support of this theory in the case of NSSI, recent studies have reported a significant relation between peer victimization and engagement in NSSI (Hilt et al, 2008;Photos, Nock, & Prinstein, 2006). Moreover, a more specific relation has been demonstrated between identification with Goth subculture and engagement in both suicidal and non-suicidal selfinjury (Young, Sweeting, & West, 2006), and tattooing and body piercing also have been linked to higher rates of suicidal and other risky behaviors (Carroll, Riffenburgh, Roberts, & Myhre, 2002).…”

Invited Commentary: Understanding Brain Mechanisms of Pain Processing in Adolescents’ Non-Suicidal Self-Injury

“…Therefore, when an adolescent is experiencing emotional distress, the affective processing system of physical pain may be inadvertently activated in order to motivate the individual to seek social support and attachment. Social distress, in the form of feeling isolated or victimized, is also a common reason for NSSI (Hilt et al 2008). It is possible that, in individuals who engage in NSSI, this pathway is activated to regulate emotions through physical pain, although this paradigm has yet to be tested in adolescent self-injuring populations.…”

The effects of parental psychological control on non-suicidal self-injury in Chinese adolescents: The mediating effect of negative emotions

“…cutting, burning, or hitting oneself) become a major public health concern [1]. It is particularly pertinent to adolescents, with the prevalence ranging from 14-56% [2][3][4]. NSSI has been included in the newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) as a new disorder, and was proved to be a potent risk factor for later suicide attempts [5][6][7], indicating that this problematic behavior deserves more attention.…”