Body attitudes and objectification in non-suicidal self-injury: comparing males and females

The authors evaluated the theoretical suggestion that self-objectification, negative body attitudes, and body-image avoidant behaviors are associated with non-suicidal self-injury among both males and females. A sample of 365 male and female (82.4% reporting female) undergraduate students (26.5% reporting NSSI) from a variety of academic disciplines completed a secure on-line survey assessing objectification, body image related variables, and history of NSSI. Participants reporting a history of NSSI endorsed significantly more body-related disturbances than participants reporting no history of NSSI. Males reporting a history of NSSI scored similarly to females both with and without a history of NSSI, and only differed from males without a history of NSSI on self-objectification. Theoretical models proposing body objectification and attitudes are important to understanding etiological risks for NSSI have merit. Additional research on these potential risk factors is needed.