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The stress inoculation training management of self-mutilating behavior: a case study
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry
|September 1, 1987
Summary
This study demonstrates that stress inoculation training effectively treated severe self-mutilating behavior in a woman. She achieved complete symptom remission and made significant personal gains after a year of follow-up.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Clinical Psychology
- Behavioral Therapy
Background:
- Self-mutilating behavior (SMB) is a complex issue often requiring intensive therapeutic intervention.
- Long-standing SMB can significantly impair an individual's social and personal functioning.
Observation:
- A 32-year-old woman with a 15-year history of severe self-mutilating behavior was treated in a psychiatric inpatient setting.
- The patient exhibited various forms of self-harm over the course of her condition.
Findings:
- A multimodal treatment approach, primarily utilizing stress inoculation training (SIT), was implemented.
- Over 18 sessions within 6 weeks, the patient achieved complete cessation of self-mutilating behaviors.
- A one-year follow-up confirmed sustained remission of symptoms.
Implications:
- Stress inoculation training offers a promising therapeutic avenue for severe self-mutilating behavior.
- Successful treatment can lead to substantial improvements in social and personal functioning.
- This case highlights the efficacy of targeted psychological interventions for chronic self-harm.