Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is considered a strong predictor of suicidal behavior, although the exact relationship between NSSI and suicide is not clear. Several factors have been suggested in previous research, including attitudes toward one’s own body, thoughts and beliefs regarding death and suicide, and the ability to cause physical harm to oneself. In the current study, the researcher obtained data from 285 young adult participants who reported a history of NSSI. Two multiple mediation models were tested in which body protection, suicide-related concerns, and acquired capability for suicide were examined as mediators of the relationship between NSSI and suicide attempt frequency. The first model, in which the predictor was NSSI frequency, was not supported. The second model, in which the predictor was NSSI versatility of methods, was partially supported; the only significant mediator was suicide-related concerns. These results add to the literature regarding the relationship between NSSI and suicide.

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is a form of psychopathology characterized by a pervasive pattern of instability with emotion regulation, impulse control, interpersonal relationships, and sense of self. While not a required diagnostic marker, the majority of individuals with BPD engage in some form of deliberate self-harm (e.g., suicide attempts, nonsuicidal self-injurious behavior) or suicide-related behavior (e.g., suicidal ideation, suicide threats). Longitudinal data from a sample of adolescent psychiatric inpatients who were hospitalized for deliberate self-harm and suicide-related behavior were followed for 5 years to investigate whether deliberate self-harm or suicide-related behaviors predicts BPD at 3-year follow-up and 5-year chart review. The extant data set consisted of 132 consecutively admitted adolescent psychiatric inpatients who completed a series of self-report questionnaires assessing deliberate self-harm and suicide-related behaviors, maladaptive familial behavior, peer victimization, and emotion regulation difficulties. Data regarding index psychiatric hospital admission diagnoses, childhood maltreatment, and BPD diagnoses were abstracted from the patient’s medical and psychiatric records and BPD was also assessed though a structured clinical interview. Suicide threats were the only variable found to be predictive of BPD at 5-year chart review. Other empirically (e.g., history of childhood maltreatment, maladaptive familial behavior, and peer victimization) and theoretically (e.g., emotion regulation difficulties) grounded constructs were also examined and were not found to be predictive of BPD in the current study. To our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate prospective associations between deliberate self-harm and suicide-related behaviors and BPD. Future directions and limitations of the research are discussed.

No description available.

No description available.