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Use of a Psychophysiological Script-driven Imagery Experiment to Study Trauma-related Dissociation in Borderline Personality Disorder
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Published on: March 8, 2018

Self-injury.

Matthew K Nock1

  • 1Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. nock@wjh.harvard.edu

Annual Review of Clinical Psychology
|March 3, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Self-injury, deliberate bodily harm without suicidal intent, is common in young people. Research suggests it functions to manage emotions and social interactions, but effective treatments are lacking.

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Area of Science:

  • Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Self-injury, defined as direct bodily harm without suicidal intent, has a long history but limited systematic research.
  • Prevalent in adolescents and young adults, it often involves skin cutting and presents consistently across cultures.
  • Existing research suggests intrapersonal (emotional regulation) and interpersonal (social interaction) functions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and synthesize current theoretical and empirical work on self-injury.
  • To present an integrated theoretical model for the development and maintenance of self-injury.
  • To propose testable hypotheses for future research.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review and synthesis of existing theoretical and empirical findings.
  • Analysis of behavioral, physiological, and self-report data.
  • Development of an integrated theoretical model.

Main Results:

  • Self-injury is a complex behavior with both intrapersonal and interpersonal functions.
  • It serves to decrease negative emotional states or increase desired states.
  • It can also be used to elicit social support or avoid social demands.

Conclusions:

  • There are currently no evidence-based treatments for self-injury.
  • An integrated theoretical model can explain the development and maintenance of this behavior.
  • Further research is needed to test proposed hypotheses and develop effective interventions.