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Self-mutilating behaviour of psychiatric inpatients
H L Nijman1, M Dautzenberg, H L Merckelbach
1Psychiatric Hospital Welterhof, Heerlen, 6401 CX Heerlen, The Netherlands.
Summary
Psychiatric patients who self-mutilate often have a history of child abuse and neglect, leading to dissociative symptoms. This study found no link between self-mutilation and impulse control issues like aggressiveness.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Trauma Studies
Background:
- Self-mutilation in psychiatric patients is a complex behavior with debated origins.
- Two prominent hypotheses suggest links to childhood trauma/dissociation or impulse control deficits.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the etiological roles of childhood trauma and dissociation versus impulse control problems in self-mutilation.
- To investigate the relationship between self-mutilating behaviors and specific psychological factors in psychiatric inpatients.
Main Methods:
- A sample of 54 psychiatric inpatients was assessed.
- Data collected included childhood trauma, dissociative symptoms, aggressiveness, obsessive-compulsiveness, and sensation seeking.
- Self-report measures were used to compare self-mutilators with non-self-mutilators.
Main Results:
- 44% of patients reported engaging in self-mutilation, with a mean age of onset at 23 years.
- Self-mutilators reported significantly higher rates of traumatic childhood experiences and dissociative symptoms compared to controls.
- No significant differences were found between groups regarding aggressiveness, obsessive-compulsiveness, or sensation seeking.
Conclusions:
- The findings support the hypothesis that self-mutilation in psychiatric patients is strongly associated with a history of child abuse and neglect.
- Dissociative symptoms appear to be more relevant to self-mutilation than impulse control deficits in this patient population.
- Results underscore the importance of addressing trauma in the treatment of self-mutilating behaviors.