Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a destructive behaviour engaged in by a large proportion of youth and young adults in current society. Despite previous work, the recent revision of the DSM does not include NSSI as a distinct syndrome; instead it remains in a category for disorders requiring additional research. Thus, in order to better understand the many etiological components underlying NSSI behaviour, still more investigation is required. To this end the current investigations aimed to further elaborate upon known links between NSSI behaviour and parent-child relationships from two perspectives: first, with regard to the overall quality of relationships with parents, and second, with specific focus on the impact of attachment representations of early relationships with parents. Though both perspectives have been investigated in the past, the current studies were developed to alleviate methodological limitations of the existing literature. Study 1 adopted a person-centered approach to examine patterns of perceived relationship quality reported by self-injuring youth based on the combination of multiple relational characteristics; these patterns were then compared with several indices related to different manifestations of NSSI behaviour. Results show heterogeneity in the perceptions of parent-child relationship quality in self-injurers, such that both negative and positive family backgrounds were implicated in the behaviour. Further analyses demonstrate that the level of risk presented by a self-injuring individual can be differentiated based on perceived quality of parent-child relationship. Study 2 investigated how individuals’ internalized states of mind regarding early attachment experiences are related to NSSI, with particular attention dedicated to the relative influences of child maltreatment and attachment representation. Attachment representations reflecting deficits in emotion regulation (preoccupied, unresolved/cannot classify) were most common in self-injurers. Moreover, self-reported childhood maltreatment and attachment states of mind independently contributed to the prediction of NSSI. Lastly, findings suggest that distinct relational influences characteristic of relationships with mothers and fathers are associated with NSSI. The two studies presented here significantly contribute to existing knowledge concerning parental influences in the etiology of NSSI. These investigations add to existing knowledge of NSSI, and may ultimately aid in preventing and treating this damaging behaviour.

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The present study examined presence of sexual assault history and perfectionism (viz., positive strivings & evaluative concerns) as predictors of self-destructive behaviors (viz., NSSI & suicidal behaviors) in a sample of 287 women college students. Results obtained from conducting a series of hierarchical regression analyses indicated several notable patterns. Sexual assault history was a consistent predictor of both NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Moreover, the inclusion of perfectionism was also found to consistently predict additional unique variance in NSSI and suicidal behaviors, even after accounting for sexual assault history. These patterns remained largely unchanged even after accounting for shared variance between NSSI and suicidal behaviors. Within the perfectionism set, evaluative concerns emerged as the most consistent unique predictor of both indices of self-destructive behavior. Finally, we did not find evidence for a significant Positive Strivings × Evaluative Concerns interaction effect in our analyses. Overall, our findings indicate that beyond the presence of sexual assault history, perfectionism remains an important predictor of self-destructive behaviors in women college students.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), defined as the deliberate damaging or destruction of body tissue without intent to die, are common behaviors amongst youth. Although prior work has shown heightened response to negative outcomes and dampened response to positive outcomes across multiple methods, including behavioral and physiological measures, little is known about the neural processes involved in NSSI. This study examined associations between NSSI engagement and responsivity to rewards and losses in youth with and without a lifetime engagement in NSSI. We employed a task-based functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) study to examine differences between regions of interest (ROIs; ventral and dorsal striatum [VS, DS], anterior cingulate cortex [ACC], orbitofrontal cortex [OFC], ventrolateral and ventromedial prefrontal cortex [vlPFC; vmPFC], and insula) and whole-brain connectivity (utilizing bilateral DS, mPFC, and insula seed ROIs) in youth with and without NSSI. We used two reward tasks, in order to examine differences between groups across domains of reward (i.e., monetary and social). Additionally, we examined the specificity of the associations by controlling for dimensional levels of related psychopathology (i.e., aggression and depression). Results from the current study found that NSSI was associated with decreased activation following monetary gains in all ROIs. Further, these differences remained significant when controlling for comorbid psychopathology, including symptoms of aggression and depression. Finally, exploratory connectivity analyses found that NSSI was associated with differential connectivity between regions including the DS, vmPFC, insula, parietal operculum cortex, supramarginal gyrus, cerebellum, and central opercular cortex. Weakened connectivity between these regions could suggest deficits in inhibitory control of emotions in individuals with NSSI, as well as dysfunction in pain processing in individuals with NSSI, whereby these individuals experience pain as more salient or rewarding than individuals without NSSI. Although results did not support our hypotheses, findings suggest disrupted reward processes in youth with NSSI, contributing to our understanding of the role that reward processes may play in NSSI, in the engagement and reinforcement of these behaviors. We also conducted an extensive systematic review of the studies indexing neural structure and function in NSSI, summarizing the literature on the neurobiological correlates of several psychological processes implicated in NSSI engagement, including emotion processes, pain processes, executive processes, social processes, and reward processes. Results of the review highlighted the neural regions most consistently associated with NSSI, including the amygdala, insula, frontal, prefrontal, and orbitofrontal cortices, and the anterior cingulate, dorsal striatum, and ventral striatum. Additionally, data showed that NSSI is associated with greater emotional responses in negative situations, poorer down-regulation of negative emotions, and poorer inhibitory control over impulsive behaviors. Overall, findings suggest that NSSI is associated with maladaptive coping, and that this down-regulation of negative emotion resulting from NSSI may be experienced as rewarding and may serve to reinforce engagement in these behaviors. Finally, this review highlighted the importance of standardizing the methods of indexing neural structure and function in NSSI, specifically in terms of how NSSI is categorized, which comorbid disorders are examined, and how neuroimaging data are collected and analyzed, so that research in this area is comparable and reproducible. / Psychology

The phenomenon of cutting is extremely complex, as is the care of those who engage in it. This work provides exhaustive knowledge of the kinds of clinical interpretations of cutting that exist and interventions offered to curb this maladaptive behavior. It empowers volunteer youth workers to feel more confident in responding to young women who are cutting. It also encourages those who work in evangelical Christian contexts to draw carefully, cautiously, and judiciously, from the resources of their faith tradition as their contribution to the care of young women who cut.

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Previous research has demonstrated associations between deliberate self-harm (DSH) and perfectionism, although most of that research used retrospective self-report measures of DSH, which are prone to various cognitive biases. Although perfectionism has been associated with alcohol abuse, no research has examined how alcohol intoxication may moderate the relation between perfectionism and DSH. The aims of this experimental study were to determine if perfectionism is associated with a laboratory analogue of DSH (the Self-Aggression Paradigm) and examine the role of alcohol intoxication as a potential moderator. Using archival data, blood alcohol content (BAC) was manipulated by randomly assigning participants to reach one of four target BACs. Results indicated that perfectionism was not associated with DSH (mean self-administered shock or number of “severe” shocks). There was no interaction between perfectionism and BAC. These findings are discussed within the context of the perfectionism measure’s psychometric characteristics and the strength of previous research findings.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the deliberate and direct damage of one’s body tissue without suicidal intent, is a pervasive public health concern often leading to clinically significant long-term consequences (e.g., permanent scarring, hospitalization) that is theorized to be facilitated by negative affect and emotion dysregulation. The Emotional Cascade Model proposes that NSSI partially functions to disrupt the reciprocal and rapid amplification of negative affect driven by rumination. However, limited research has focused on state rumination and the distinct contribution of maladaptive and adaptive rumination subtypes, as well as the role of positive affect within this framework. Thus, the purpose of the current study was to replicate and explore the independent influences of overall and momentary (1) positive and negative affect and (2) rumination on NSSI acts and urges, as well as (3) the extent to which rumination moderates the relationship between affect and NSSI. To do so, rumination, affect, and NSSI urges and acts were assessed 4 times daily via ecological momentary assessment for 21-days among thirty undergraduate participants with past month NSSI. Our results partially replicated existing literature, such that overall negative affect was associated with greater overall NSSI urge strength and momentary negative affect and rumination predicted stronger NSSI urges at the next alert, with increased momentary rumination strengthening the relationship between momentary negative affect and NSSI urge. Exploratory investigations of overall and momentary positive affect showed some negative associations with NSSI urges and behaviors, with no moderating effect of rumination. Data did not support the independent examination of maladaptive and adaptive rumination subtypes. Taken together, this study highlighted the importance of exploring state rumination (in addition to trait) and affect in understanding NSSI thoughts and behaviors, and calls for future studies to further investigate distinct properties of rumination to understand its impact on specific emotions that maintain NSSI engagement. / Psychology

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is an impairing mental illness and has a core component of emotional dysregulation. Evidence suggests the emotional cascade model describes how this emotional dysregulation leads to engaging in risky and life-threatening behaviors, such as non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Specifically, this model describes rumination as a cognitive component that links the emotional and behavioral dysregulation. The current study aimed to expand the model by investigating how individuals with heightened BPD traits engage in NSSI and in cognitive strategies to cope with their negative affect. Specifically, it was investigated whether behaviors like suicide attempts and cognitions differentiated between those with mild/moderate and severe NSSI. Criterion for severe NSSI was hospitalization or medical care because of NSSI. Participants (N = 292) were screened to endorse a history of NSSI and then self-selected to take a self-report survey through Mturk. Correlations and a binomial logistic regression were completed. Results indicated suicide attempts, BPD symptoms, and anger rumination differentiated mild/moderate and severe NSSI. Evidence reinforces the strong relationships between NSSI, suicide attempts, and BPD. Additionally, it reinforces anger rumination as a potential cognitive mechanism in NSSI. Future research can continue to test this model and include other potential thought processes to increase efficiency in assessment and treatment of BPD and NSSI.