The relationship between dissociative symptoms, alexithymia, impulsivity, sexual abuse, and self-mutilation.
The overall purpose of the present study was to further our understanding of the mechanisms of self-mutilative behavior in a sample of female inpatients. The study found that self-mutilators (n = 103) displayed a greater degree of dissociative symptoms and alexithymia and a greater number of self-injurious behaviors, as well as higher rates of childhood sexual abuse, than nonmutilators (n = 45). In addition, the study found that among these variables, the number of self-injurious behaviors had the strongest relationship to self-mutilation. However, both dissociative symptoms and alexithymia were independently associated with self-mutilative behavior. Implications of our findings for clinicians and researchers are discussed.
Zlotnick
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Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA.
Shea
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Pearlstein
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Simpson
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Costello
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D000328:Adult; D000342:Affective Symptoms / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002650:Child Abuse, Sexual / Q000523:psychology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D010343:Patient Admission; D010553:Personality Development; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012652:Self Mutilation / Q000523:psychology*; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000523:psychology