Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026
08:05
A Procedure to Study Stress-Induced Relapse of Heroin Seeking after Punishment-Imposed Abstinence
Published on: March 23, 2022
Self-cutting versus intentional overdose: psychological risk factors
C Larkin1, Z Di Blasi, E Arensman
1National Suicide Research Foundation, Cork, Ireland. c.larkin@ucc.ie
Medical Hypotheses
|May 22, 2013
Summary
Individuals who self-cut after presenting with self-harm face higher repetition risks, linked to psychological factors like hopelessness. Interventions targeting these vulnerabilities may reduce future self-harm events.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Public Health
Background:
- Individuals presenting with self-harm to emergency departments have an elevated risk of further self-harm and suicide.
- Self-cutting is associated with a higher risk of repetition compared to other self-harm methods, such as intentional overdose.
- Previous explanations for repetitive self-injury focused on behaviorism, but psychological factors may also play a significant role.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of pre-existing psychological risk factors in the increased repetition of self-harm among individuals who self-cut.
- To compare psychological differences between patients who self-cut and those who present with intentional overdose.
Main Methods:
- A small-scale cohort study was conducted with 29 self-harm patients presenting to the Accident & Emergency (A&E) department.
- The study compared theoretically-derived psychological variables between a group of 8 self-cutting patients and 21 overdose patients.
Main Results:
- Patients who self-cut scored significantly higher on hopelessness compared to overdose patients.
- Self-cutting patients scored lower on non-reactivity to inner experience.
- Overall, self-cutting patients presented with a more vulnerable psychological profile.
Conclusions:
- The association between self-cutting and prospective self-harm repetition is partly mediated by pre-existing psychological vulnerabilities.
- These vulnerabilities increase the likelihood of both engaging in self-cutting and subsequent repetition.
- Psychological interventions aimed at reducing hopelessness and increasing emotional distress tolerance may help prevent self-harm repetition in this population.
Related Concept Videos
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...
01:26Pharmaceutical Poisoning: Potential Scenarios
Pharmaceutical poisoning can occur through various channels, impacting an estimated 2 million hospitalized patients in the U.S. annually with serious adverse drug responses. These scenarios encompass both therapeutic uses, such as drug toxicity, where even standard dosages can lead to severe central nervous system depression, and non-therapeutic exposures, including accidental ingestion by children, and environmental and occupational exposures.Unintentional poisonings often involve exploratory...
01:29Psychological and Sociocultural Causes of Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia, a complex psychiatric disorder, has been historically misunderstood. Early psychological theories attributed its origins to childhood trauma and unresponsive parenting. However, contemporary research largely rejects these notions, favoring the vulnerability-stress hypothesis. This model proposes that individuals with a genetic predisposition to schizophrenia may develop the disorder following exposure to significant environmental stressors. Notably, studies on high-risk...
01:30Bulimia Nervosa
Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
01:30Psychosurgery
Psychosurgery, the surgical alteration or permanent removal of brain tissue to alleviate severe psychological conditions, stands as one of the most radical and controversial treatments in the history of mental health care. Its development and application have evolved significantly, marked by dramatic shifts in scientific understanding and ethical perspectives.
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...
Historical Development of Psychosurgery
In the 1930s, Portuguese neurologist Antonio Egas Moniz introduced a surgical procedure designed...
01:24Drug Toxicity: Risk factors
Adverse Drug Reactions (ADRs) are potential complications that arise during pharmacotherapy, influenced by multiple risk factors. Age plays a significant role; both neonates and the elderly are at heightened risk due to their respective immature and diminished metabolic and elimination processes. Gender also impacts ADRs, with females experiencing a 1.5 to 1.7-fold greater risk than males, which may be linked to pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, and hormonal differences. Notably, neonates, the...