Vocational Rehabilitation Counselors’ Experiences with and Knowledge of Non-suicidal Self-Injury

Abstract

This study examined experiences with and knowledge of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among a multistate sample of 253 vocational rehabilitation (VR) counselors. Over 90% of counselors reported working with clients who had expressed thoughts or behaviors related to NSSI, and over 20% reported doing so once a month or more. Only 44.7% reported having received training on NSSI. Scores on a brief NSSI knowledge questionnaire demonstrated generally accurate responses but also some gaps in knowledge. These findings indicate that rehabilitation counselors in public VR settings frequently work with clients who display thoughts and behaviors related to NSSI and may benefit from training and support in this area.