title: Self-injury and self capacities: assisting an individual in crisis.
abstract: This article reports findings of a study on self-injury, childhood abuse, and self capacities that supports a theory for understanding and assisting self-injuring individuals in crisis. In the study, 233 adults from partial hospital settings and an outpatient clinic answered questions concerning self-injury, abuse history, and three self capacities (the ability to tolerate strong affect, the ability to maintain a sense of self-worth, and the ability to maintain a sense of connection to others). More than 60% reported childhood abuse. More than half reported self-injury. Individuals with a history of self-injury showed greater impairment of self capacities than individuals who did not report self-injury. Individuals with a history of childhood abuse showed greater impairment than did individuals who did not report childhood abuse. Greatest impairment was associated with both self-injury and abuse. Implications of the results are explored and the theory for assisting self-injuring individuals in crisis is presented.
authors.affiliation: Adult and Adolescent Psychological Services LLC, East Wing, Glastonbury, CT 06033, USA. aapsych@aol.com
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Deiter
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Nicholls
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Pearlman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002649:Child Abuse / Q000523:psychology; D003419:Crisis Intervention; D003631:Day Care, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009769:Object Attachment; D010553:Personality Development; D011613:Psychotherapy; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012649:Self Concept; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology