Self-injury.
People have engaged in self-injury-defined as direct and deliberate bodily harm in the absence of suicidal intent-for thousands of years; however, systematic research on this behavior has been lacking. Recent theoretical and empirical work on self-injury has significantly advanced the understanding of this perplexing behavior. Self-injury is most prevalent among adolescents and young adults, typically involves cutting or carving the skin, and has a consistent presentation cross-nationally. Behavioral, physiological, and self-report data suggest that the behavior serves both an intrapersonal function (i.e., decreases aversive affective/cognitive states or increases desired states) and an interpersonal function (i.e., increases social support or removes undesired social demands). There currently are no evidence-based psychological or pharmacological treatments for self-injury. This review presents an integrated theoretical model of the development and maintenance of self-injury that synthesizes prior empirical findings and proposes several testable hypotheses for future research.
Nock
Matthew K
MK
Department of Psychology, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02138, USA. nock@wjh.harvard.edu
D000293:Adolescent; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D016728:Self-Injurious Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D012944:Social Support; D013406:Suicide, Attempted / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult