Non Suicidal Self-Injury and Eating Disorders

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Clinical Psychology
• Adolescent Health

Background:

• Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) and eating disorders (ED) are significant public health concerns in adolescents and young adults.
• Epidemiological data on the co-occurrence of NSSI and ED are limited and vary across studies.
• Self-injurious behaviors, including NSSI, suicide attempts (SA), and suicidal ideations (SI), are prevalent in various psychiatric disorders, notably ED.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review and synthesize existing epidemiological data on NSSI in individuals with ED.
• To highlight the prevalence and implications of self-injurious behaviors in the context of specific eating disorders like Anorexia Nervosa (AN) and Bulimia Nervosa (BN).

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of epidemiological studies on NSSI and ED.
• Analysis of prevalence rates from existing literature.

Main Results:

• Adolescents with ED exhibit significantly higher rates of self-harm compared to the general population.
• For instance, a study indicated 30% of females and 24% of 16-year-old males with ED engaged in self-harm versus 8.3% and 4.0% in controls, respectively.
• NSSI, SA, and SI are particularly common in individuals diagnosed with AN and BN.

Conclusions:

• The co-occurrence of ED and self-injurious behaviors is associated with more severe psychopathology.
• This association increases the risk for heightened depressive and anxiety symptoms and a greater likelihood of suicide attempts.