Non-suicidal Self-Injury in Clinical Practice

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a significant public health issue in adolescents.
• It is frequently encountered in clinical settings, necessitating further research into its associated factors.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate NSSI in high-risk adolescents within a clinical setting.
• To explore the relationship between NSSI, personality disorders, symptoms, and coping mechanisms.
• To inform and improve clinical treatment interventions for NSSI.

Main Methods:

• A sample of 140 adolescent inpatients diagnosed with personality disorders was assessed.
• Assessments included pre- and post-treatment questionnaires on NSSI, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM personality disorders, Symptom Check List 90, and Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire.

Main Results:

• NSSI was observed in 66.4% of the adolescent inpatients.
• A notable percentage (21.3%) of adolescents without prior NSSI initiated the behavior during treatment.
• NSSI correlated with the number of personality disorders, higher symptom load, and increased use of self-blame, while positive coping strategies like refocusing and reappraisal were lower.

Conclusions:

• NSSI is common among adolescents in clinical practice and is not limited to borderline personality disorder.
• The behavior may be transmissible within this population.
• Therapeutic interventions should focus on decreasing self-blame and bolstering positive emotion regulation strategies such as refocusing and reappraisal.