Non-suicidal Self-injury In Young Adults Research Articles

Cognitive reactivity as a risk factor for non-suicidal self-injury in young adults

Objectives Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) risk in young adults is impacted by both affective and cognitive responses to stress. While previous research shows affective reactivity (AR) increases risk for NSSI, less research has examined the role of cognitive reactivity (CR). The current study examined how individual differences in CR to stress relate to NSSI. Participants The sample included 192 college students (M = 19.84 years, SD = 2.51, 82% women). Methods Participants completed a baseline questionnaire followed by a laboratory visit involving measures before and after stress induction. Results Analyses indicated that individuals who engage in NSSI reported more affective and cognitive reactivity to stress. Additionally, higher levels of affective and cognitive reactivity uniquely predicted NSSI. A combined model yielded mixed results. Higher levels of AR led to lower levels of CR, while higher levels of CR predicted more NSSI. Conclusion In sum, results demonstrated significant but unique effects of affective and cognitive reactivity to stress on NSSI.

Examining the association between exposure to major stressful life events and non-suicidal self-injury

Experiencing major stressful life events (SLEs) may contribute to risk for non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Prior research has established that a higher number of SLEs is linked with more frequent NSSI episodes among young adults. However, life stress is typically assessed with checklist approaches; these methods introduce frequent idiosyncratic misinterpretations of stress categories (e.g., major illness). Coupled with the unclear boundary of what constitutes SLEs, relying on participants’ subjective appraisals of stress severity attenuates validity. Specifically, individuals with a history of NSSI may have certain cognitive characteristics that contribute to an over-appraisal of event severity. Interview-based, contextual life stress systems overcome these limitations by having third-party raters blind to participant characteristics determine stress severity based on a standardized set of circumstances. Accordingly, this study used the Life Events and Difficulties Schedule 2 (LEDS-II), which is a gold-standard, semi-structured life stress interview and rating system. Specifically, we focused on the cumulative severity of episodic stressors (i.e., SLEs whose major features occur within a 2-week period). In preliminary analyses of 53 participants (Mage= 20.17, SDage= 2.51), cumulative stress severity (M =2.96, SD =3.20) was not significantly associated with the number of NSSI episodes participants reported in the past year (M = 22.75, SD = 67.46), r(53) = .13 p = .370. Data collection is ongoing, and we anticipate adding 30 participants (total n=83) to the analyses. Current findings do not align with previous literature on the association between SLEs and NSSI. However, they provide a methodological foundation for how to improve future research on SLEs and NSSI in young adults through the application of gold-standard life stress measures.

Non-suicidal self-injury in young adults with and without borderline personality disorder: the role of emotion dysregulation and negative urgency

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is defined as self-inflicted pain, and it is used as a mechanism to alleviate psychological distress. Although NSSI is prevalent in Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), it is also an increasing concern among college student populations. While emotion dysregulation and negative urgency are associated with NSSI, little is known about which dimensions specifically predict the motivations (NSSI-functions) and frequency of self-harm. The current study explored the relationship between emotion dysregulation, negative urgency, and NSSI in 86 young adults, divided into three groups: college students with NSSI, BPD patients with NSSI, and a healthy control group without NSSI. We conducted multiple regression analyses to predicted NSSI-functions and NSSI-frequency. Non-acceptance of emotions, a specific dimension of emotion dysregulation, uniquely predicted intrapersonal NSSI-functions (e.g., regulating distressing emotions), but not interpersonal NSSI-functions (e.g., communicating distress). Lastly, poor emotion regulation strategies predicted NSSI-frequency only in individuals with high negative urgency, that is, individuals who tend to act impulsively when experiencing negative emotions, but not in those with low negative urgency. Findings shed light on the underlying motivations for engaging in self-injury, and they reveal facets of emotion dysregulation relevant for NSSI treatment. La Autolesión No Suicida (ANS) se define como un dolor auto-infligido que se utiliza como un mecanismo para aliviar la angustia psicológica. Aunque ANS es común en el trastorno límite de la personalidad (TLP), también es un problema creciente en estudiantes universitarios. Si bien la desregulación emocional y la urgencia negativa están asociadas con ANS, poco se sabe sobre las dimensiones específicas que predicen la motivación (funciones) y la frecuencia de las autolesiones. Se exploró la relación entre la desregulación emocional, la urgencia negativa, y ANS en 86 adultos jóvenes, divididos en tres grupos: estudiantes universitarios con ANS, pacientes TLP con ANS y un grupo de control sano sin ANS. Realizamos análisis de regresión múltiple para predecir las funciones y frecuencia de ANS. La no aceptación de las emociones, una dimensión especifica de la desregulación emocional, predijo de manera única las funciones intrapersonales de ANS, pero no las funciones interpersonales. Por último, la falta de estrategias de regulación emocional predijo la frecuencia de ANS solo en individuos con una alta urgencia negativa, es decir, individuos que tienden a actuar impulsivamente cuando experimentan emociones negativas, pero no en aquellos con una baja urgencia negativa. Los hallazgos resaltan las motivaciones subyacentes a la autolesión y revelan facetas de la desregulación emocional relevantes para el tratamiento de ANS.

The impact of the OPRM1, OPRK1, DCC genes polymorphisms on the motivation for non-suicidal self-injury in young adults: a pilot study

IntroductionNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) – the deliberate, self-directed damage of body tissue without suicidal intent and for purposes not socially or culturally sanctioned – is a highly prevalent phenomenon in adolescents and young adults. Motivation for the NSSI is known to be heterogenous in different patients. However, biological and especially genetic markers associated with different motivation for the NSSI have not been studied to date. One of the possible candidates are mu- (OPRM1) and kappa-opioid receptor (OPRK1) genes, since opioid system is known to be involved in the NSSI. Another perspective candidate is the DCC gene, encoding the netrin 1 receptor, which plays vital part in the formation of the prefrontal cortex.ObjectivesWe conducted a pilot cross-sectional study to test the impact of the rs1779971 OPRM1, rs6473797 OPRK1 and rs8084280 DCC gene polymorphisms on the characteristics and motivations for the NSSI in young adults.Methods28 patients of European ancestry with NSSI (89,3%; n=25) women, median age (Q1-Q3) – 23 (21,25-25) years) were included in the pilot sample. The majority of the sample had a diagnosis of bipolar disorder (78,6%; n=20). Characteristics and motivation for the NSSI were measured by the Inventory of Statements about Self-Injury (ISAS). The Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) was used to control for adverse childhood experiences, a potent environmental factor, associated with NSSI. Genotyping was performed using RT-PCR. The genetic effect was evaluated using the dominant model. For statistical analysis multiple linear regression with the presence of minor alleles, different types of childhood trauma, diagnosis, age and sex as factors and ISAS scores as dependent variables were used.ResultsMultiple linear regression showed that minor C allele of rs6473796 OPRK1 gene polymorphism was associated with an increase of the “Affect regulation” (B=2,23; CI95% [0,39–4,06]; p=0,022), “Anti-dissociation” (B=3,31; CI95% [0,18–6,44]; p=0,039) subscales of ISAS scores. Moreover, the minor T allele of the rs8082480 DCC gene polymorphism was associated with a decrease of the “Affect regulation” subscale score (B=-1,74; CI95% [-3,30 – -0,18]; p=0,032).ConclusionsTo our knowledge, this is the first study on the genetic markers of motivations for NSSI. Our pilot results showed that, controlling for diagnosis, age, sex and childhood trauma, OPRK1 and DCC gene polymorphisms may be associated with the heterogeneity of motivations for NSSI. However, these results require confirmation on the larger samples.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

High-risk group and functional subtypes of non-suicidal self-injury in young adults with mental disorders.

Identifying high-risk groups of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) with multiple risk factors and different functional subtypes contribute to implementing person-centered interventions. We investigated NSSI profiles among a sample of 258 psychiatric inpatients aged 18-25 years. All participants completed well-validated measures of internal personal and external environmental characteristics. One-hundred and ninety patients reported a lifetime history of NSSI and completed an additional NSSI assessment. A k-means cluster analysis was conducted to extract characteristics of risk factors and functional subtypes. Independent sample t-test, analysis of variance and χ 2 test were used to test the difference of demographic statistical factors, risk factors and functional scores among groups with different frequency of NSSI. The clustering of risk factors analyses supported 4-clusters. The proportion of repeat NSSI patients was the highest (67.1%) in the group with unfavorable personal and unfavorable environmental characteristics. Functional subtype clustering analyses supported 5-clusters. Among patients with repeated NSSI, those with depression were mainly accompanied by the "Sensation Seeking" subtype (39.7%), bipolar disorder mainly supported the "Anti-suicide" subtype (37.9%), and eating disorders were mostly "Social Influence" subtype (33.3%). There was an interaction between functional subtypes and mental disorders. All participants were in treatment in a psychiatric service and the results may not be generalizable to a community sample. The data included retrospective self-report which may be inaccurate due to recall bias. It is necessary to identify high-risk groups of NSSI who with unfavorable personal and environmental characteristics and clinical interventions need to consider the heterogeneity of patients' functional subtypes of NSSI.

A Machine Learning Approach for Predicting Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults.

Artificial intelligence techniques were explored to assess the ability to anticipate self-harming behaviour in the mental health context using a database collected by an app previously designed to record the emotional states and activities of a group of subjects exhibiting self-harm. Specifically, the Leave-One-Subject-Out technique was used to train classification trees with a maximum of five splits. The results show an accuracy of 84.78%, a sensitivity of 64.64% and a specificity of 85.53%. In addition, positive and negative predictive values were also obtained, with results of 14.48% and 98.47%, respectively. These results are in line with those reported in previous work using a multilevel mixed-effect regression analysis. The combination of apps and AI techniques is a powerful way to improve the tools to accompany and support the care and treatment of patients with this type of behaviour. These studies also guide the improvement of apps on the user side, simplifying and collecting more meaningful data, and on the therapist side, progressing in pathology treatments. Traditional therapy involves observing and reconstructing what had happened before episodes once they have occurred. This new generation of tools will make it possible to monitor the pathology more closely and to act preventively.

Childhood Maltreatment, Low Serum Cortisol Levels, and Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults With Major Depressive Disorders.

BackgroundNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a serious public health problem widely present among young adults and adolescents. While finding risk factors associated with NSSI among young patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) is challenging, the current study aims to measure childhood adversity and serum cortisol levels and elucidate their relationship in MDD patients with NSSI.MethodsIn this cross-sectional study, 126 young patients with MDD (aged 16 to 35 years) were recruited. The depressive symptoms were assessed by the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II), and the childhood adversity was evaluated by the Chinese version of the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) scale. Serum cortisol levels were determined by the kits in patients.ResultsRelative to MDD patients without NSSI, MDD patients with NSSI had a higher CTQ total score and its four subscores. Moreover, the cortisol levels in patients with MDD/NSSI were significantly decreased than in MDD patients without NSSI. For patients with MDD/NSSI, there is a negative association between cortisol levels and emotional neglect, but not for MDD patients without NSSI. Further regression analysis showed that low cortisol levels, BDI-II, and emotional neglect were risk factors for NSSI in young patients with MDD.ConclusionOur findings suggest that young MDD patients with NSSI experience more childhood adversity and have lower cortisol levels. Also, lower cortisol levels were associated with childhood adversity but not with depressive symptoms. Further, lower cortisol levels, depressive symptoms, and emotional neglect were risk factors for NSSI in young patients with MDD.

Alterations of regional spontaneous neuronal activity and corresponding brain circuits related to non-suicidal self-injury in young adults with major depressive disorder

BackgroundMajor depressive disorder (MDD) with non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI)(MDD/NSSI) has been found to differ from simple MDD without NSSI (sMDD). This study analyzes the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF) to explore the NSSI-relevant local neural activity, and uses functional connectivity (FC) analysis to explore the NSSI-relevant circuits corresponding to alterations in local regions in young adult patients with MDD/NSSI. MethodsA total of 54 patients with MDD/NSSI, 68 patients with sMDD, and 66 matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited. ALFF and seed-based FC analyses were employed. The NSSI-relevant brain alteration and its associations with clinical variables were examined. ResultsCompared with the sMDD group, the MDD/NSSI group showed higher ALFF in the right lingual gyrus and right middle occipital gyrus; lower ALFF in the right superior frontal gyrus; higher FC values between the right lingual gyrus and left precentral gyrus; and lower FC values between the right middle occipital gyrus and right paracentral gyrus. Within the MDD/NSSI group, ALFF values of the right superior frontal gyrus and right lingual gyrus were positively correlated with the frequency and severity of NSSI. LimitationsThe sample size was small, and the potential influence of medicine on brain activity was not excluded. ConclusionsOur preliminary findings indicate that NSSI-relevant ALFF in the right lingual gyrus, right middle occipital gyrus, and right superior frontal gyrus, as well as the alteration FCs in corresponding brain circuits, may play an important role in the neural basis of MDD/NSSI.

Predicting Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults with and without Borderline Personality Disorder: a Multilevel Approach Combining Ecological Momentary Assessment and Self-Report Measures.

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is an increasingly prevalent phenomenon associated with many detrimental outcomes, ranging from poor academic performance to suicide attempts. Research on self-harming behaviors has identified emotion dysregulation, negative affect, and borderline pathology as strong risk factors of NSSI, whereas the potential protective effects of metacognitive skills such as decentering have not yet been explored. The current study combined ecological momentary assessment (EMA) and self-report measures to explore potential risk and protective factors of NSSI in a clinical group of Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) patients with NSSI (N = 22), a subclinical group of college students with NSSI (N = 19), and a non-clinical healthy control group (N = 23). Participants completed self-report measures of borderline pathology, emotion dysregulation, decentering ability, and negative emotional symptoms, and they used the Sinjur App (EMA instrument) at least three times a day for 15days to capture negative affect and NSSI in daily life. A multilevel mixed-effect regression analysis with both self-report and EMA measures was conducted to identify predictors of NSSI. The multilevel analysis showed that only momentary frustration directly predicted NSSI. Momentary guilt and anger only predicted NSSI when interacting with more stable traits of borderline pathology and negative emotional symptoms. Most importantly, greater decentering capacity protected against self-injury and attenuated the association between momentary sadness and NSSI. Findings contribute novel knowledge about NSSI, documenting the protective effects of decentering and highlighting the benefit of interventions that target metacognitive emotion regulation skills.

Moderators of treatment response to an intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults.

Objective: Despite the prevalence and impact of nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI), there are few treatments developed to treat the behavior specifically, and little is known about moderators of treatment response. The Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB), a brief, behavioral intervention, was developed to treat NSSI in young adults; a previous pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing T-SIB with treatment as usual (TAU) provided support for the intervention. This study examined demographic, clinical, and NSSI-related predictors of treatment outcome in the pilot RCT for T-SIB. Method: Young adults (N = 33) were randomized to receive T-SIB or treatment as usual; all participants were included in intent-to-treat analyses. The primary outcome of NSSI behaviors was assessed at baseline, posttreatment (9 weeks), and 3-month follow up, and potential moderators were assessed at baseline. Results: Greater lifetime and last year NSSI frequency was associated with fewer NSSI behaviors at posttreatment and follow up among participants in T-SIB. Anxious symptoms also moderated treatment outcomes, but other demographic and clinical variables did not. Conclusion: Previous research has shown that T-SIB is more effective than TAU overall; the current study suggests that T-SIB may be effective for individuals with more frequent NSSI and those with elevated anxiety. A larger evaluation of T-SIB is supported. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Attachment Style and alexithymia as predictors of nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults: A pilot study

Il passaggio da trauma infantile ad autolesionismo (NSSI) implica il mettere in evidenza la regolazione emotiva e l’attaccamento che sono stati supportati dalla ricerca che ha indagato le funzioni del NSSI. Il presente studio pilota ha cercato di esplorare piu a fondo questo tema esaminando quali dimensioni specifiche dell’attaccamento e dell’alessitimia predicano comportamenti autolesionistici. Ventisei giovani adulti [eta media (± DS) 21.08 (± 3.95)] con esperienza di autolesionismo son stati comparati con un gruppo di controllo. Sono state somministrate la Toronto Alexithymia Scale (TAS-20) e l’Attachment Style Interview (ASI). I risultati hanno dimostrato livelli di alessitimia signifi-cativamente maggiori, in particolare nell’item difficolta a identificare i sentimenti, nei sog-getti con NSSI rispetto al gruppo di controllo, cosi come sono stati riscontrati punteggi piu alti in relazione alla presenza di uno stile di attaccamento insicuro, in particolare insicuro-ansioso. L’analisi di dimensioni specifiche ha rilevato che la scala ASI inerente al Coerci-zioni alla vicinanza (constraints on closeness) e Paura del rigetto (fear of rejection), forni-scano il modello migliore dell’NSSI. Tali risultati conferiscono prove empiriche riguardo alla funzione regolativa degli NSSI ma mettono anche in evidenza l’importanza della fun-zione dei confini interpersonali che potrebbero fornire un utile focus per l’intervento e il trattamento dei comportamenti autolesionistici.

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia and adaptive emotion regulation as predictors of nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults.

Research suggests that both respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and emotion regulation are related to maladaptive outcomes. However, little is known about how these factors jointly contribute to nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). We examined how resting RSA and RSA withdrawal to stress predicted NSSI among young adults, and whether adaptive emotion regulation strategies moderated this effect. We examined this relation in a sample of 70 young adults (Mage = 19.25, SDage = 0.92, 94% female), 35 with a recent history of NSSI and 35 who had never engaged in NSSI. Participants completed a baseline questionnaire and lab visit where physiological responses to a social stressor were collected. Results indicated that resting RSA did not predict recent NSSI engagement. However, greater RSA withdrawal to social stress significantly predicted recent NSSI (β = 1.35 [0.57], Wald χ2 = 5.52 p = 0.02). Further, problem-solving moderated the relation between RSA withdrawal and recent NSSI such that individuals with greater levels of RSA withdrawal were significantly more likely to engage in NSSI if they also reported low problem-solving (β = -1.44 [0.64], Wald χ2 = 5.16, p = 0.02). In contrast, the effect of greater RSA withdrawal on NSSI was buffered by high problem-solving. Cognitive reappraisal did not moderate the relation between RSA withdrawal and NSSI. These findings suggest that problem-solving may be an important moderator in the relation between physiological reactivity and NSSI. Interventions should help clients with poor self-regulation develop adaptive problem-solving strategies.

Exploring the relationship between non suicidal self-injury and borderline personality traits in young adults

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is highly prevalent during late adolescence and young adulthood. There is some evidence of a link between NSSI and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), but little is known about the association between BPD traits and the various functions that maintain NSSI. The main purpose of this study was to explore the association between borderline personality traits and NSSI functions in a sample of college students. We also compared NSSI functions in college students who engaged in NSSI to those in an age-matched sample of BPD patients. This study included a total of 238 college students and 36 BPD patients. Participants were asked to complete a number of clinical measures. In the non-clinical sample, BPD features were more pronounced in the presence of NSSI, and we observed a differential relationship between NSSI functions and psychopathological BPD-traits. The NSSI clinical variables most strongly associated with BPD were frequency, variety of methods and severity, but not age of onset. Our results provide new information on the relationship between BPD and NSSI in young adults, and could be used to improve the early detection of vulnerable BPD-individuals and in planning NSSI treatment.

The relationship between interpersonal trauma history and the functions of non-suicidal self-injury in young adults: An experience sampling study

ABSTRACTNon-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been reported to serve a range of functions for individuals who engage in it. Despite considerable variation in NSSI functions between individuals, limited attention has been paid to exploring relationships between NSSI functions and other characteristics of self-injuring individuals, such as trauma history. This is despite allusion to trauma history in the suggested etiology of some NSSI functions (e.g., anti-dissociation, self-punishment). The present study used a 21-day online daily diary to explore possible relationships between common NSSI functions and past interpersonal trauma in community young adults (n = 38). The interpersonal boundaries and anti-dissociation functions significantly related to interpersonal trauma severity in multiple regression analyses; the interpersonal boundaries function continued to significantly relate to interpersonal trauma severity when controlling for the number of NSSI functions endorsed.

An intervention for nonsuicidal self-injury in young adults: A pilot randomized controlled trial.

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is prevalent among young adults and associated with negative medical and psychological consequences, necessitating its treatment. However, few treatments have been developed to treat NSSI specifically, or to treat the behavior among individuals without borderline personality disorder. The purpose of this study was to investigate the Treatment for Self-Injurious Behaviors (T-SIB), a brief, behavioral intervention specifically developed to treat NSSI among young adults, in a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT). Young adults (N = 33; age: M = 22.36 years, SD = 3.40) meeting inclusion and exclusion criteria were randomly assigned to the treatment (T-SIB; n = 15) or treatment as usual (n = 18) condition. The sample was 93.9% female, 42.4% Caucasian, and 30.3% Hispanic/Latino. Feasibility and acceptability of the study and intervention were supported, and medium effects were found for decreased NSSI frequency in the T-SIB group using intent-to-treat analyses. Results of this study support the further evaluation of T-SIB in a larger RCT. (PsycINFO Database Record

Udgør social støtte en forskel for risiko for at udvikle ikkesuicidal selvskade?

The objective of the study is to find the incidence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among Danes born in 1984, as well as to test if social support during childhood is a mediator between child abuse and other traumatic events and non-suicidal self-injury in young adults. The study is based on interviews of a representative sample of 2,98025-year-old Danes born in 1984, and it obtained a 67% response rate. Participants with a history of child maltreatment, being bullied in school or other traumatic life events reported a rate of NSSI 6 times greater than participants without this history (odds ratio: 6.0). The experience of social support in childhood is a partial mediator associated witha reduced risk of NSSI in young adulthood.

The Association of Interpersonal and Intrapersonal Emotional Experiences with Non-Suicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI), the intentional damage to body tissue without the intent to die, is a prevalent public health problem in the U.S. and around the world. The current study sought to identify intrapersonal (emotional reactivity) and interpersonal (emotional expressiveness to others) correlates of NSSI in order to provide insight into how to best tailor prevention and treatment efforts. Four hundred and forty nine college students were surveyed about various psychological characteristics as well as engagement in NSSI. Results indicated that those who have difficulty expressing emotions are at an increased risk for NSSI even after controlling for depressive symptoms and that emotional expressiveness acts as a partial mediator between depression and NSSI. Emotional expressiveness should be a target of treatment among people who engage in NSSI.

Emotion dysregulation mediates the influence of relationship difficulties on non-suicidal self-injury behavior in young adults

This study examined associations between relationship difficulties with parents and peers and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI). Particular emphasis was placed on examining mediating pathways through emotion dysregulation, as per commonly accepted theory. Participants were 1153 university students (905 females; Mage=19.35 years, S.D.=1.49); 79 of these participants had engaged in NSSI during the previous 6 months (63 females, Mage=19.35 years, S.D.=1.51). Participants completed questionnaires assessing NSSI, quality of relationships with parents and peers, and emotion dysregulation. Hierarchical logistic regressions suggest that the quality of parent–child relationships has a greater impact on the prediction of NSSI engagement than the quality of peer relationships. Results of a structural equation model showed that feelings of alienation in both parent and peer relationships had indirect effects on NSSI through deficits in emotion regulation (ER). Results suggest the importance of examining emotion dysregulation in association with NSSI, and that both parent and peer relationships are implicated in NSSI engagement through emotion regulation deficits. Important clinical implications regarding the need to acknowledge both emotion dysregulation and interpersonal difficulties when treating NSSI in young adults are discussed.

Development of an Intervention for Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults: An Open Pilot Trial

Nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a prevalent and dangerous behavior among young adults, but no treatments specific to NSSI have been developed for patients without borderline personality disorder. The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate a novel intervention for NSSI among young adults. The intervention is a 9-session behavioral treatment designed to decrease the frequency of NSSI behaviors and urges. Using an open pilot design, feasibility and acceptability were investigated in a small sample (n=12) over a 3-month follow-up period. A preliminary investigation of change in NSSI was also conducted. Feasibility and acceptability of the intervention were supported. Medium to large effect sizes were found for decreases in NSSI behaviors and urges over the follow up period. Results of this open pilot trial support the further evaluation of this intervention.

Voice Movement Therapy: Evaluation of a Group-Based Expressive Arts Therapy for Nonsuicidal Self-Injury in Young Adults

Effective and proven approaches for engaging and assisting young people who self-injure are yet to be established. The current study presents findings from 4 pilot trials of voice movement therapy (VMT) in addition to ‘‘treatment as usual.’’ Nineteen young women (mean age 20 years 3 months, range 16-25 years) completed 10 weekly group therapy sessions and a follow-up booster session. At posttreatment, there were statistically significant improvements in emotion regulation, alexithymia, self-esteem, anxiety, somatic symptoms and social dysfunction, and a nonsignificant trend for reduced depression and self-injury. All improvements were maintained at 8 to 10 weeks of follow-up. Results suggest VMT is an acceptable and promising adjunctive therapy for young adults who self-injure.