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Assessment of self-injurious thoughts using a behavioral test
Matthew K Nock1, Mahzarin R Banaji
1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, 33 Kirkland St., Cambridge, MA 02138, USA. nock@wjh.harvard.edu
The American Journal of Psychiatry
|May 4, 2007
Summary
A new computerized test accurately measures self-injurious thoughts by analyzing reaction times. This method improves predicting nonsuicidal self-injury risk beyond traditional factors.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Assessing self-injurious thoughts is challenging due to reliance on self-report.
- Existing methods may be limited by individuals' willingness or ability to disclose thoughts explicitly.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel computerized method for measuring self-injurious thoughts.
- To assess the utility of reaction times to self-injury stimuli in a computerized test.
Main Methods:
- Eighty-nine adolescents (36 non-self-injurious, 53 recent nonsuicidal self-injury) participated.
- Two versions of the Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SIIAT) were administered.
- The SIIAT measures automatic associations of self-injury with self and favorableness.
Main Results:
- Significant behavioral differences were observed between self-injurers and non-injurers.
- SIIAT scores enhanced the prediction of nonsuicidal self-injury.
- Prediction improvement surpassed that of demographic and psychiatric factors alone.
Conclusions:
- The Self-Injury Implicit Association Test (SIIAT) shows validity as a performance-based measure of self-injurious thoughts.
- Implicit measures may be valuable for risk assessment in self-injury.
- Further research is recommended for incorporating implicit measures in clinical decision-making for sensitive behaviors.
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