Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 12, 2026
09:29
Investigating Drivers of Antireward in Addiction Behavior with Anatomically Specific Single-Cell Gene Expression Methods
Published on: August 4, 2022
Deliberate self-harm, substance use, and negative affect in nonclinical samples: a systematic review
Carl I Moller1, Robert J Tait, Don G Byrne
1Department of Psychology and Centre for Mental Health Research, Australian National University, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory, Australia.
Substance Abuse
|April 13, 2013
Summary
Individuals using substances are more prone to self-harm, and negative emotions like depression and anxiety are linked to self-harm. Addressing these factors may help prevent self-harm behavior.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Public Health
- Clinical Psychology
Background:
- Self-harm is a significant public health concern.
- Understanding risk factors for self-harm is crucial for prevention.
- Associations between substance use, negative affect, and self-harm require further investigation in nonclinical populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the literature on the associations between self-harm, substance use, and negative affect.
- To identify individuals at increased risk for self-harm behaviors in nonclinical samples.
Main Methods:
- A systematic literature review was conducted.
- Forty-two articles describing 36 studies were included.
- Studies focused on nonclinical samples examining self-harm, substance use, and negative affect.
Main Results:
- A significant association was found between substance use and self-harm.
- Negative affective states, including depression and anxiety, are consistently linked to self-harm.
- The findings highlight key risk factors for self-harm in the general population.
Conclusions:
- Substance use and negative affect are important risk factors for self-harm.
- Identifying and reducing these risk factors can aid in preventing self-harm behavior.
- These findings offer guidance for targeted interventions in the general population.
Related Concept Videos
01:30Stress and Mental Health
Chronic stress profoundly affects mental health, significantly influencing mood, behavior, and overall quality of life. Research closely links chronic stress with mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. Ongoing exposure to stress can lead to physiological and psychological changes, initiating a cycle of emotional distress and maladaptive coping mechanisms.
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
Individuals with depression often experience challenges in both their personal and professional...
01:24Substance Use Disorders Affecting Sleep
Substance use disorders involve a pattern of using drugs more extensively than intended and continuing use despite harmful consequences. This includes legal substances like alcohol and nicotine, as well as illegal drugs. These disorders often involve both physical and psychological dependence, reflecting compulsive use of substances that significantly alter thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, contributing to a major public health issue.
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
Understanding the concepts of physical dependence,...
02:05Self-Presentation: Self-Monitoring and Self-Handicapping
People can go to great lengths to protect their self-image and present themselves in ways that they want others to see them. Sociologist Erving Goffman presented the idea that a person is like an actor on a stage. Calling his theory dramaturgy, Goffman believed that we use “impression management” to present ourselves to others as we hope to be perceived. Each situation is a new scene, and individuals perform different roles depending on who is present (Goffman, 1959). Think about the way you...
01:29Self-Discrepancy and Its Effects
Self-discrepancy theory explains how people compare their actual self to their ideal and ought selves and how mismatches between these self-guides can lead to emotional distress. Developed by E. Tory Higgins, the theory distinguishes among three components of self-concept: the actual self, the ideal self, and the ought self. These refer respectively to how individuals perceive themselves, how they aspire to be, and how they believe they are obligated to be. Emotional well-being, self-esteem,...
02:45Self-Discrepancy Theory
One influential perspective on what motivates people's behavior is detailed in Tory Higgin's self-discrepancy theory (Higgins, 1987). He proposed that people hold disagreeing internal representations of themselves that lead to different emotional states.
01:19Introduction to Psychological Disorders
Abnormal behavior, often referred to as mental illness, results from changes in brain function that influence thought patterns, behaviors, and social interactions. Psychologists and psychiatrists typically assess abnormal behavior using three primary criteria: deviance, maladaptation, and personal distress, particularly when these traits persist over long periods.
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...
Deviant Behavior
Deviance in behavior refers to actions or thought patterns that significantly diverge from societal norms or...